Frequent fire outbreaks forced us to buy firefighting equipment  – Cocoa association

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By Akpan David, Calabar

The incessant fire outbreaks in commercial city of Ikom in central Cross River State has forced cocoa farmers to jointly purchase fire fighting equipment.

They lamented that they have lost several tons of cocoa in their warehouses and plantations due to outbreaks of fire.

In an interview after his courtesy call on Governor Bassey Otu in his office, Chairman of Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN), Mr. Pascal Kejie-Bobua explained that the truck will assist to contain future outbreaks.

Kejie-Bobua stated that the firefighting truck will provide much-needed emergency services to the community.

“Ikom Local Government Area has experienced numerous fire outbreaks over the years, causing substantial losses of property, bringing abject poverty.

“These fires usually destroy property worth millions of Naira. And we often don’t have firefighters come to our rescue with firefighting equipment to tackle or extinguished the fire.

“Any  one conversant  with  happenings around  IKom local Government area, will attest to the fact that there  had been several fire outbreaks in the last one decade where shops and houses are  razed down due to lack of fire fighting equipment.

“This is why we saw the need to go for the firefighting equipment and nothing else”, he explained.

Reacting the state governor expressed joy and  his appreciation for the visit and lauded the Association’s contributions towards development of the state and the nation at large. 

He assured the CAN stakeholders of his administration’s willingness to partner the association in moving the state forward.

He stresses that  with collaboration, a lot can be archived as team work remains the surest way to achieve success.