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The Ogun State House of Assembly today passed a resolution calling on the State Government to upgrade the existing Divisional/Zonal Fire stations and create additional stations, especially at cosmopolitan and industrial areas; with modern fire fighting engines, water tankers and other equipment. This according to the Assembly, would better prepare them for the task of emergency fire outbreak, as the harmattan season approaches.

The passage of the resolution titled H.R. No. 021/OG/2019, followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff, seconded by Adeniran Ademola and unanimously supported by all the lawmakers through a voice vote at a plenary presided over by the Speaker,  Rt. Hon.  Olakunle Oluomo, shortly after the Assembly commiserated with victims of fire outbreak which occurred at old Toll Gate area, in Ado-Odo/ Ota and Oke-Itoku area of Abeokuta recently.

Opening debate on the resolution, the Deputy Speaker, Oludare Kadiri, who lamented the loss of lives and properties arising from the fire incidence, said it has become expedient for the State to immediately procure more modern fire fighting equipment to prepare the divisional fire stations for effective response to distress calls of fire outbreak in any part of the State, while commending the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for responding swiftly in paying visit to the victims.

Lending their support to the passage of the resolution, Honourables Abdul Bashir Oladunjoye, Abayomi Fasuwa, Adegoke Adeyanju and Yusuf Adejojo stressed the importance of modern equipment to fire disaster management with a call for special recognition to industrial areas in the State as dry season approaches to reduce incidence of fire outbreak.

Also, lawmakers including Adeyemi Ademuyiwa, Kunle Sobukanla and Kemi Oduwole, while appraising the operations of the State fire service, canvassed for the provision of emergency numbers and more administrative measures to enhance the professionalism and quality service delivery of manpower in the establishment.

In another development, the Assembly said that plans were underway to create through an enabling law, Waste Management Agency in the State aimed at ensuring effective generation and hygienic disposal of wastes towards ensuring best practices in waste management across the State.

Oluomo stated this in his response to the submission of his Deputy, Oludare Kadiri under Personal Explanation, who reported the state of refuse dump at different points at Ago-Iwoye and Mamu Markets and the state of some roads in his constituency. 

Assuring that the State Public Works Agency would soon commence massive rehabilitation and application of palliative where necessary now that the rains would soon be over, the Speaker advised residents to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse by the road sides and undesignated points to avert outbreak of diseases in the State.