Following an explosion of a fuel station at Sekyedumase injuring four and destroying property, the municipal fire officer, Adoi Aduadze Kanyi Bernard has revealed a very disturbing condition under which the ‘fire fighters’ in the area suspend consciousness to restore power to their bodies.
Staff retire to sleep on an ultra-thin, exposed and very dirty student mattresses emplace on the hard cemented ground.
“Currently there is bed bug infestation of the rooms and the officers have to battle them for sound sleep”, says chief Kanyi.
Due to this, according to him, the station has no standby and reinforcement in times of distress because staff travel back to Kumasi to have better rest at night when they are off duty.
Some of the officers who spoke, expressed the dilemma of a willing soul but meek flesh.
One of them who showed a caution note from his doctor says he wants to live long thus cannot keep threatening his own life by sleeping on “those things”
A frustrated lady officer also angrily quizzed this reporter whether he would be happy to see his girlfriend sleep under such health unfriendly environment. She fumed further, “is it a crime to serve your nation? ”
However, Kanyi Bernard also said the service cannot attend to any fire situation should it occur because their fire fighting equipment is currently out of use.
He explains the equipment breaks down so often he is forced to maintain it with his own money; a situation he says has taken a toll on his finances .
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He further disclosed that the service owes fuel outlets upto 600 cedis.
He bemoaned the Municipal Assembly’s stern responses to their demands. He praised the MCE, but was quickly to criticize the coordinating director for always rejecting and somehow influencing the Chief Executive not to respond appropriately to their demands.