Newscenter Media News 
Concerns, as observed by DAILY POST, are mounting in Wukari Local Government council of Taraba State following repeated fire outbreaks that have exposed the absence of a functional fire service in the council.
The latest incident occurred on Friday at the council’s secretariat, where a fire outbreak forced residents and bystanders to rely on buckets of water in an effort to contain the blaze.
According to information gathered by DAILY POST, the fire started from nearby bushes before spreading to the secretariat building.
The incident comes bearly two years after a similar fire outbreak at a phone shop opposite UBA Bank in Wukari, the administrative headquarters of the council. At the time, residents battled the inferno for several hours using buckets of water, but the shop was completely razed before the fire could be brought under control.
Residents who spoke with DAILY POST expressed frustration over what they described as the failure of political office holders to provide essential emergency services.
They noted that Wukari is represented by elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels, including the governor, senator, House of Representatives member, State House of Assembly member, local government chairman, and councillors.
Community members argued that the establishment of a basic fire service would significantly reduce losses during such incidents. According to them, a properly equipped fire station could extinguish fires within minutes, preventing extensive damage to property and public infrastructure.
“This should be a lesson for our elected leaders. As far as I am concerned, none of the sixteen local government councils can boast of fire service equipment either in their secretaries or within their local government areas,” said a council worker.
Others criticized what they described as misplaced priorities by political leaders, alleging that attention is often given to short term projects rather than critical infrastructure.
“Instead of investing in projects that will add value to our local government and the state at large, our elected leaders waste our hard-earned resources on projects that have no meaning to our people,” another council staff member said.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the council, Bala Useni, said the fire broke out shortly after he left the secretariat for an official engagement. He explained that he was alerted by a security operative of the Taraba State Marshal.
Useni said initial efforts to contain the fire were unsuccessful, as the Federal University Wukari Fire Service could not operate effectively due to lack of water.
He added that the inferno was eventually brought under control through the combined efforts of council staff and concerned individuals.
According to the chairman, most of the administrative buildings were affected by the fire, with only a section of his office spared. He noted that the cause of the fire is yet to be determined, adding that investigations are ongoing.
Useni disclosed that the incident has disrupted administrative activities and negatively affected service delivery in the local government area. A committee, according to him, would be constituted to assess the extent of the damage and determine the cause of the fire.
Concerns over absence of fire service in Taraba LGAs emerge as infernos continue to cause havoc