RESIDENTS OF GREATER NEBBI IN URGENT NEED OF A FIRE FIGHTING UNIT TO RESPOND FASTER TO FIRE OUTBREAKS

BY ALFRED DORUMBE

GREATER NEBBI. Residents of Greater Nebbi have reiterated the call for a fire brigade unit in the area, in order to respond faster to emergencies.

This follows Saturday’s fire outbreak in Paidha Town council which gutted shops in the area and left properties worth millions destroyed. It’s alleged that the fire started from Hamid’s kiosk a phone doctor and then spread to other kiosks of Sam Luagwa who sells milk among others.

According to the residents, government is not doing enough to address some of their pressing issues despite voting overwhelmingly for NRM in national elections. They observe that the matter has been put to the attention of the government but no action has been taken.

Currently the districts of greater Nebbi rely on fire fighting department which is located in Arua district.

George Onenrwoth,a resident of Kawa cell in Paidha town council says previously many businessmen have lost their merchandize to fire out breaks.

“Government should set up a fire brigade unit at Nebbi Central police station to save us from fires,” he said.

According to the UPDF spokesperson for greater Nebbi, Lt. Kelly Gingiera, he says it is hard to respond to emergencies in time due to lack of a fire brigade in the area.

He says they mainly depend on the efforts of good Samaritans to put out the fire.

“For the recent fire outbreak in Paidha, Police and UPDF officers managed to put off the fire using water and some fire extinguishers rendered to them by Stabex fuel station in Paidha,” he revealed.

Meanwhile Paidha town council chairperson Innocent Onega Godfrey urges business communities to always safe guard their property as they push for a police fire brigade in Nebbi.

WestNile regional fire and safety rescue commander Michael Munguacel said he has tabled issues of fire brigade to his bosses to have the Police Fire Brigade stationed in Nebbi central police station but nothing has been done since 2020 when fire gutted Goli custom. Earlier this month fire gutted Oyoma general stores in Parombo town council in Nebbi district destroying property estimated to 1.8 billion shillings.