The Rivers State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has charged Gov Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to wake up to the challenges of frequent fire outbreaks in the State.
The ACN was reacting to the recent fire incidents in Okrika and other parts of the state vis-à-vis the lukewarm attitude of the Amaechi administration to checkmate such disasters.
Speaking through a press statement issued and signed by its publicity secretary, Jerry Needam, the ACN blamed Gov Amaechi for doing nothing to put the natural disaster under control.
Needam said Government is to blame for the recurring inferno and not necessarily the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) even though the oil companies in different parts of the State have not helped matters.
The ACN spokesman, said he regretted that about two years have elapsed since Gov Amaechi promised to build fire service stations in the 23 local government areas of the State with no sign of actualizing that promise at sight.
If he has lived true to the promise, the ACN believes the situation would not be as bad as it is.
“We are therefore challenging Gov Amaechi to wake up to his responsibilities and put measures in place to save the helpless Rivers people the ravages brought about by these disasters.
“Sacrificing his responsibilities on the altar of the equally undependable oil companies in the State is nothing short of direct and overt admission of insensitivity and, or failure”, the ACN declared.
In the light of the huge losses occasioned by the fire disasters in the State in recent times, the time to fulfill the promise of establishing fire outstations in the rural areas of the State is now, the ACN stated.