By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)
The National Fire Force Sierra Leone (NFA-SL) has presented its budget proposal at the 2025 Financial planning.
The event is organized at the Ministry of Finance.
There approval of recommendations for improvements are to be made to certain institutions.
Key among them is the National Fire Force Service in Sierra Leone. It said it wanted to upgrade the humane resource capacity at the sector and to ensure better service delivery nationwide.
Last week, the Chief Fire Officer, Nazir A.A. Kamanda Bongauy and team asked to be given for NLe 22,780,700 in the forthcoming FY2025 national budget, adding that the institution is only having 412 staff across the country, serving approximately 1.6 million inhabitants just in capital, Freetown.
NFA-SL says it is providing such a service strenuously with just fourteen (14) fire appliances and not more than 10 hydrants at their disposal.
“The remaining estimated 4.5 million inhabitants of the country in the provinces, are afforded just 8 extremely sparsely located fire appliances to protect life, property and critical national infrastructures.”
“84 recruits passed out on 31st May 2024 to add to NFA-SL’s strength. We have 14 fire stations and 23 engines countrywide.” While Magburaka, PortLoko, Kambia and Kailahun stations are without single fire engines, he said.
Chief Bongauy emphasized on key achievements made regarding proposing for a Fire Safety Bill and Fire Safety Policy, noting that the policy will be presented to cabinet for recommendations and following a popularizations on the policy.
NFA-SL says a total of five rescue fire engines and equipment were obtained as donation from Germany, and personnel have be trained with relevant fire fighting skills.
But Fire Force Chief says the number of staff are still limited.
He believed that they are faced with particular challenge of illegal construction of houses which causes rapid fire outbreaks, spreading between and among clustered homes, and such fire blaze could
displace hundreds of people but sometimes casualties numbers are low.
The impacts of some of those fires are clear, such are caused by informal settlements in notorious places like Kroo Bay, Susana Bay and on hillsides settings within the capital city and in other areas beyond Freetown.
In the similar note, the National Fire Force budget was collectively approved by a 60% comprising Financial Experts and representatives of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
NFF-SL is believed to be cash-trapped as it faced huge constraints to implement its activities over the years.
In an interview with residents at Ferry Junction community, Cola Tree, and those That Allen Town in Freetown, they said NFF-SL is unable to up keep the city in terms of preventing fire disasters occurrences, adding that the government should employ more workers at to aid and rescue lives and properties of victims.
“We are fed-up with the sad blame and unknown excuses, our communities are prone to fire disaster outbreaks due to poor electricity network, the institution must train strong and dynamic youth in future because Freetown and other big cities in the province are facing fire tragedies on frequent basis, ” they suggested.