Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji on Sunday commended the selfless and heroic acts of a Stste firefighter, Higher Superintendent Osho Oluwasola, and his team for their swift response in extinguishing a raging fire at a filling station in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, last week.
Governor Oyebanji gave the commendation on Sunday when he paid an unscheduled visit to Osho, who was injured during the operation, at his residence in Ado Ekiti.
The firefighter and his wife were overwhelmed with emotions on sighting the Governor at their residence in Dalimore area of the state capital Sunday afternoon.
Governor Oyebanji, who said he came to express the gratitude of the Government and people of the state to Osho, said he also wanted to follow up on his recovery, having been hospitalized over the injury he sustained during the operation . The Governor commended the firefighter and engaged him on aspects of their job during the visit which lasted about 20 minutes.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the visit, Governor Oyebanji hailed the firefighter and his team for their gallantry, noted that their effectiveness in curtaining the fire was a reflection of the dedication of public servants in the state to their duties.
The Governor said the swift response of the State Fire Service officials was instrumental to timely quenching of what could have been a major fire disaster in the state.
He attributed the effectiveness of the state fire service to emergencies to his administration’s huge investment in fire fighting equipment as well as Government ‘s efforts at revamping the agency.
Governor Oyebanji said the state fire service under his administration had undergone significant transformation, adding that the agency has been revamped, with staff undergoing rigorous training programmes on different aspects of emergency response in order to enhance their capacity. This, according to him, is in addition to the deployment of fire trucks across senatorial districts in the state thereby ensuring swift response and effectiveness during emergencies.
The Governor who also used the opportunity to interact with residents who had trooped out in their large numbers, upon sighting him in the neighborhood, assured the people that his government would continue to prioritize the safety and security of lives , properties and investments in the state.
He emphasized that his administration’s investment in emergency response such as fire service and others were part of a broader strategy to create a safe and thriving environment for all.
“I came here for two reasons, to thank one of our gallant firefighters, who is a staff of Ekiti State Fire Service, Higher Superintendent Osho, who got injured while responding to an emergency tire incident at a filling station. With that singular act, they saved many lives, investments and a lot of properties.
“But in the course of that, he was injured, and was rushed to the hospital. I was out of the state then, but I was monitoring his recovery. So I just came here today to confirm the report I got that he is responding to treatment and I am happy he’s recuperating well. I am here to also thank him on behalf of the government and people of Ekiti State for making us proud”. The Governor said.
In his response, the fire fighter, Mr Olusola expressed his deepest gratitude for the Governor’s visit and the massive support he and his team got from the state government.
Describing the visit as a morale booster, Mr Osho reaffirmed his commitment to serving the state, stating that the incident had only strengthened his resolve to protect lives and properties.