C’River Assembly Speaker, Ayambem orders HoS to reinstate Fire Service director

By Asuquo Cobham, Cross River

The Speaker of Cross River state House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem has directed the Head of Service, Innocent Eteng to reinstate Emmanuel Ajom as the State Director of Fire Service in accordance to the Civil Service rules.

The Speaker’s directive was as result of the reported intrigues that beclouded the emergence of the new director of the Fire Service in Cross River State.

A source in the state House of Assembly, one Jeremiah Asibong explained that when the matter came to the Assembly for enquiry, the Head of Service who was represented by the Permanent Secretary,

Atim Bassey presented two persons as the highest ranking in the Fire Service, Mr Otugbo was not among them.

“The Head of Service at the time did not complain only for him to bring someone else two weeks after as the highest ranking officer in the Fire Service which speaks volumes of his plans and motives”

In the past three weeks, vested interests are alleged to have played out as well as manouverings on who is to step into the leadership of the Fire Service after Mr Sylvester Ndifon retired from service.

Speaking to journalists, Mr Augustine Idung Ekpe, a top civil servant said the first move was the illegal placement of one Mr Ukorebi Peter whom he said “forged a certificate from the University of Calabar and was brought to head the place but University of Calabar wrote to say that his certificate was forged.

“Ukorebi had handed over to Emmanuel Ajom who is the rightful person to head the place based on seniority in service and years of employment”.

However, an underhand plans played out where another person, Mr Sylvester Otugbo was brought in surreptitiously to occupy the position instead of Ajom.

With the passing of the State Fire Service Bill 2024 into law by the state House of Assembly, the intrigues and surreptitious appointments, especially in the state Fire Service has annulled such, which reason the Speaker has ordered the reinstatement of Ajom.

The Speaker pointed out that inadequate staff strength, obsolete laws and unnecessary scheming amongst others contributed to ineffectiveness of the service.

He stated that the state civil and public service rules were very explicit and strict in delivering code of ethics and conduct.

The member representing Yala II State Constituency, Martins Achadu said that the aim of the bill is to reposition the State Fire and Rescue Service to international standards, adding that the amendment of the law was long overdue.

Another senior personnel at the Fire Service who also spoke on succession system who gave his name as Michael Ikpi, said: “Fire Service being a paramilitary, employment is done in squads. The squad which Ndifon who recently retired belonged was Squad 14 while the Squad Mr Ajom was recruited is 15.

“Otugbo was recruited into Squad 16. Essentially, headship of the Fire Service is done in Squads. After the exit of Squad 14, the mantle falls on Squad 15. The Squad 16 which Otugbo belongs has nothing to do with leadership of the place until the exit of Squad 15” Ekpe declared.

“Again , the gazette on Fire Service rules by the Donald Duke administration provides that only graduates of Environmental Protection and Resource Management, Engineering and Architecture should be recruited to the Fire Service. Mr Otugbo only has a two-weeks Fire Engineering workshop certificate which he parades as his qualification while Ajom is a graduate of Environmental Protection and Resource If Otugbo claims he has a degree, he should present it and the letter of conversion” he added.