The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Department of Fire Service has taken anti-bush burning campaign to traditional rulers as dry season farming begins in the nation’s capital.
The department said this measure was to reach out to the farming population through the traditional institutions as well as prevent fire disasters.
Director of the department, Julius Opetunsin who led a team of fire fighters to the palace of Ona of Abaji on Tuesday said the proactive measures were adopted to save lives and property.
Opetunsin noted that while the flag off of the campaign started at Abaji area council, the message would also be spread to all rural communities in the remaining seven area councils.
“The choice of Abaji for this year’s flag off is to bring the campaign to the grassroots where most farming activities take place. This is because destruction from fire outbreaks in farms and other property are always colossal, and therefore all hands must be on deck to curtail its occurrence.
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“The department is calling on all the farming community, our royal fathers and their subjects to desist from indiscriminate bush burning. We therefore advise that in case you want to adopt bush burning approach as an alternative, let it be controlled burning so as to protect your property and that of your neighbour.
“As we flag off this campaign, I wish to stress that officers from the department will be visiting the various domains in the area council to sensitive the local communities”, he stated.
Acting coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Suleiman Abdulrameed stated that the FCT administration’s ban on indiscriminate farming activities within the city centre was still in force.
Abdulrameed, who was represented by AMMC’s director of legal services, Isa Abdullahi noted that enforcement of the ban was not to deny residents of legitimate means of livelihood, but to ensure sanity and adherence to the city’s master plan.
The Ona of Abaji, Adamu Yunusa, however, urged the department of fire service to show more commitment in the discharge of its statutory duties. He also called on the FCT administration to replace ageing fire equipment as well as acquire new ones for the fire station in Abaji.
