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By Ameen Ayinla
Kwara State House of Assembly has urged fire service agencies in the state to be more responsive and ensure rapid reaction to emergency fire incidents, especially as the dry season sets in.
The call followed a debate on a motion seeking intensified public sensitization on fire prevention, sponsored by the member representing Afon Constituency in Asa Local Government Area, Alhaji Yinusa Oniboki.
In his lead debate, Alhaji Oniboki noted that over the years, several communities across the state have experienced severe fire outbreaks during harmattan, particularly in densely populated areas such as markets. These incidents, he said, have led to devastating losses of lives, displacement of families, destruction of businesses, and major economic setbacks.
He further lamented that some residential areas within the metropolis have suffered destructive infernos that consumed homes, destroyed property worth millions of naira, and, in some instances, claimed lives.
Other lawmakers who contributed to the debate expressed concern that Kwara, being predominantly agrarian, has many rural communities where farmers store their harvests in barns and other traditional storage facilities. They noted that indiscriminate bush burning—often carried out for hunting—has destroyed farmlands and storage structures, posing serious socio-economic risks.
The legislators warned that if indiscriminate bush burning continues unchecked, the resulting environmental and economic impacts could be severe.
In its resolution, read by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, the House urged Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to direct the state fire service, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and the State Orientation Agency, to intensify public awareness campaigns on fire safety and enforce regulations against uncontrolled bush burning.
The House also called on the Governor to equip the fire service adequately and work with community leaders across the state to promote responsible fire practices.
