Residents of Kaduna state are questioning the ability of the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KASEMA) to handle emergency situations in the state.
In the past few weeks, Nigerians have faced a number of emergency situations that called for quick response without getting the required result.
Recently, there were incidents of collapsed buildings in Kaduna and Lagos which claimed several lives and properties, that has caused residents to review the preparedness of agencies saddled with the responsibility to respond to emergency situations.
The recent collapse of a three storey building along Hadeja road in Kaduna metropolis which claimed the lives of three children from same parents and injured over seven others confirms the feeling of doubt.
While residents of the area were helpless to rescue those trapped in the collapsed building, it took the KASEMA and NEMA over three hours to commence rescue operations due to non-availability of equipment.
Although KASEMA had tried to live up to expectations during such situations, investigations by Channels Television reveals that lack of adequate rescue equipment and manpower have been a major challenge for them to respond to emergency situations promptly.
It is a different story at the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemicals Company (KRPC) where the management has taken the bull by the horn by putting emergency structures in place in order to be able to contain such situation.
Residents of Kaduna still living around the collapsed building are praying that the remaining building does not collapse on their heads.
However, they are appealing to the authorities concerned to hasten up with the demolition of the remaining building that has become a threat to their lives.
Officials of KASEMA could not give a tangible reason for the agency’s delay in attending to distress calls in the state.
Despite the promise by the state government to evacuate the remains of the collapsed building immediately, those affected by the incident have to wait for so long, squatting with their friends and relatives as KASEMA and public works agency seem to be helpless like the victims.
The reason is simple, they lack the necessary rescue equipment to carry out the demolition exercise.
With the rainy season and windstorm increasing by the day, coupled with flooding, the affected residents have one common message to pass, “the state government shouldn’t toy with their lives, and live up to its constitutional responsibilities”.
