MONROVIA — Montserrado County Senator Saah Joseph has raised an alarm over the failure of the past and current Governments of Liberia (GOL), through the Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS), to procure nearly US$2million firefighting equipment intended to combat against fire incidents across the country.

By Obediah Johnson, obediah.johnson@frontpageafricaonline.com

The Congress of Democratic Change lawmaker disclosed that since money was allocated in the just implemented national budget for Fiscal Year 2024, the purchasing of fire-fighting equipment, including trucks and the training of personnel, the LNFS has not procured any equipment to enhance its operations.

As a result of this, Senator Joseph maintained that fire incidents continue to destroy lives and properties of citizens, especially ordinary Liberians, who are encountering severe hardship and economic challenges in the country.

He made these assertions in an exclusive interview with FrontPage Africa at his Capitol Building office in Monrovia on Thursday, January 16.

He disclosed that though authorities of the Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS) conducted a competitive bidding process and awarded contracts to several companies to procure fire fighting equipment, those equipment are yet to arrive in Liberia to address the growing wave of fire disasters.

Senator Joseph is on record for calling on the government to procure and assign fire trucks to each of the 73 electoral districts across Liberia.

But his proposal was narrowed to the provision of at least five fire trucks for Montserrado and other regions during legislative deliberations on the 2024 National Budget.

“Money was appropriated and approved in the 2023 budget of the previous administration which we learned went through the PPCC process for a company to bring in two fire trucks and other pickups for the fire service. Up to present, the government has not received those items.”

He continued:  Additional appropriation was made again after I raised the issue to Plenary and my colleagues supported the idea. Up to present, we have not seen any result from the LNFS. When they are called upon, their arrival time is very, very late.”

Senator Joseph maintained that no new efforts or trucks have been procured from past budgetary allocations to the LNFS, thereby endangering the lives and properties of citizens.

He stressed the need for the Plenary of the Liberian Senate  to invite authorities of the LNFS and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to appear before that August Body to provide reasons why fire fighting equipment have not been procured by the government up to present.

“When do we expect the fire trucks? At this time, we expect the new fire trucks to be here because the appropriation was made in the 2024 national budget; we are in 2025. This means one year has already gone. What I know is that, the US$3.5M proposal I made, about US$1.7M was approved in the budget. With additional supplies, it takes up to US$2million to bring in fire trucks and other equipment. But unfortunately, we are not seeing efforts or new trucks.”

Senator Joseph maintained that Liberians, especially those residing in Montserrado, have been feeling the pinch of the lack of logistics to combat fire incidents.

According to him, hundreds of citizens continue to be made homeless as a result of the situation.

“Why are the fire trucks not here? The Liberian people will not accept this; they have to do everything they can.”

Senator Joseph used this medium to call on the LNFS and the Liberia National Police (LNP) to launch an investigation into frequent fire incidents across the country amid reports that the homes of citizens are being set ablaze by unknown individuals for political reasons.

He said though he cannot deny or confirm these reports, the police are under obligation to combat crimes and as such, it should take steps to apprehend those who may be linked to the act.

“I agree that they (police) should go ahead and do their investigation and it is their responsibility to do that. We don’t even have to inform them. They are supposed to investigate and get back to us. “

He added that the investigation should be able to establish which group or individual is involved with the burning of homes for political reasons.

He maintained that the LNFS must provide a comprehensive analysis on the root causes of fire disasters in the country.

Senator Joseph emphasized that the LNFS must be made to provide details on why it is taking so long for fire trucks and other equipment which have been budgeted for to arrive in the country.

“Why have the fire trucks not been purchased? Why is it that additional manpower has not been trained? Why are we still getting support from LPRC, Sethi Brothers and National Port Authority (NPA) fire trucks? The Fire Service must be able to respond in time; they must be able to procure new equipment as appropriated in the national budget.”

Senator Joseph, however, called on Liberians to take precautionary measures against fire outbreaks to prevent the loss of lives and destruction of their properties.

When contacted via telephone, the Director of the LNFS G. Warsuwah Barvoul failed to provide a definite time the fire fighting equipment would arrive in Liberia.

According to him, the vendors selected to procure the fire trucks and pickups were requesting for about 60% payment before procuring the equipment from their suppliers abroad.

“The vendors received the 60% and they put in for the trucks; we are talking about six trucks, three water tankers and three fire jeeps. They (vendors) just put in the order and they will come and tell us when they expect those things to be here.”

Barvoul, however, failed to disclose the names of the companies that have been awarded separate contracts to procure fire fighting equipment for the LNFS in keeping with transparency and accountability.

His refusal comes in the wake of reports that kickbacks were allegedly offered some higher-ups at the entity to award the contracts.

The Liberia National Fire Services (LNFS) was established in 1963 to safeguard the lives and properties of Liberians and non-Liberians from the scourge of destructive fire, across the length and breadth of the country, as well as to promote efficient fire prevention services.

Toward the full attainment of the overall mission statement of the agency, four (4) basic areas of services are offered including Fire prevention – This is an activity of fire safety involving the regular inspection of various types of occupancies and vehicles, providing education for precautionary and protection measures that are necessary to ensure safety from fire, this is referred to as fighting the fire before its occurrence, and Firefighting – This activity involves the physical combat of the outbreak, burning and spread of fire, which requires the combination of basic training with professional skills, and the use of proper equipment and tools-fighting fire during the occurrence.

The rest are Ambulance services – Using professional and simple life-saving methods, combined with skills and life-saving equipment to save life or evacuate from cave-ins in burning buildings, vehicles and other entrapments and Fire investigation – The use of conventional approaches and skills to conduct ground assessment of fire incidents and determine their causes and effects, to detect if clues determine arson, and producing historical data of all incidents and investigations – fighting fire after the fire.

MONROVIA – In the wake of the unprecedented increase in fire disasters in Liberia, Montserrado County Senator Saah Joseph has proposed a budgetary allotment of US$3M towards the purchase of 17 fire trucks for districts in his county.

By Obediah Johnson

In recent times, several Liberians have lost their lives and properties worth thousands of United States dollars damaged because of increase in fire incidents across Monrovia and other parts adjacent.

Hundreds of others have been made homeless, thereby comparing them to seek refuge in the homes of family members, friends and loved ones.

The homes of Senator Joseph and the Speaker of the House of Representatives were also destroyed because of fire incidents.

But in a communication addressed to the Plenary of the Liberian Senate, Senator Joseph observed that in recent months, Montserrado County has been besieged by series of devastating fire outbreaks, resulting in significant loss of lives and properties.

He described the prevailing situation as a national emergency noting that, “as custodians of public welfare and governance, it is imperative that we collectively address this pressing challenge.”

“I write to your esteemed office and esteemed colleagues today with a matter of utmost urgency and concern regarding the recurring fire incidents within Montserrado County. As the duly elected Senator of the citizens of Montserrado County, it is incumbent upon me to bring this critical issue to the attention of The Liberian Senate.”

“Therefore, I humbly request the support and intervention of the Liberian Senate in advocating for emergency budgetary allotment of three million United States Dollars (US$ 3,000,000.00) to purchase and ship 17 fire trucks and accessories to Liberia.”

Additionally, Senator Joseph pointed out that, the funds are required to cover manpower recruitment and training for the establishment of a comprehensive and adequately resourced National Fire Service Respond Mechanism to cover the 17 districts in Montserrado County.

He maintained that this intervention will permanently address fire prevention and response within Montserrado County and ensure that the Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS) is equipped with the necessary firefighting apparatus and personnel.

He added that the proposal will also help to mitigate the risk of future fire incidents and ensure the safety and security of citizens.

In an interview with Legislative Reporters shortly after debate on his communication, Senator Joseph pointed out that his proposal is intended to build the capacity of the LNFS to timely respond to fire outbreaks.

He noted that despite the rampaging wave of fire disasters in the country, neither the Liberia National Fire Service nor importers of electrical materials, including wires has taken responsibility.

He said citizens, especially fire victims continue to express doubts and speculations.

He observed that though others think that the proposed amount for the purchase of the fire trucks is huge, the government could have expended more than US$1million if he was to be consumed by the fire outbreak at his residence in Congo Town, outside Monrovia.

Senator Joseph pointed out that there have been no incentives from national government to citizens who have lost their lives and properties because of fire outbreaks.

“I classify the situation in Montserrado County as a national emergency because; fire incidents have been repeated on a daily basis.”

He further observed that the LFNS most often takes more time to reach to various homes or businesses engulfed by fire due to many reasons, including construction on alleyways.

But with the availability of fire trucks in every district in Montserrado, Senator Joseph added, that the agency will be swift in executing its assigned tasks and responsibilities.

He stated that a fire outbreak in any of the district would receive helping hands from adjacent districts to prevent the spread of the fire to consume more lives or properties if his proposal is endorsed by the government.

“Yesterday was Saah Joseph, today is the Speaker of the House of Representatives; tomorrow who’s next? Every night there is a house on fire in Montserrado County.”

Senator Joseph said though his proposal is not intended to deny the remaining counties from benefitting from the workings of the LNFS, it is intended to place more emphasis on Montserrado which is the most populated county that has been heavily affected by fire outbreaks in Liberia.

“All of the major fire incidents that took place in Liberia are in Montserrado County. So, we are taking this by the horn. We are focusing on Montserrado as a national emergency. We hope amendments to our communication will be made for other counties to benefit.”

He said the increase in the number of casualties because of fire incidents would be drastically reduced if his proposal is taken into consideration.

Senator Joseph, however, encouraged his colleagues to take decisive action to protect the lives and livelihoods of Liberians and promote good governance and public service.

He vowed to officially communicate his proposal to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to expedite the actualization of his suggestion.

He expressed regret that since the fire incident at his residence two months ago, the LNFS has failed to release its findings into what led to the incident.

Like other citizens, Senator Joseph disclosed that he’s not waiting for report from the agency anymore.

He used the occasion to commend community dwellers for the efforts they continue to apply to rescue their neighbors and their properties during fire outbreaks.

“The lives and properties that have been lost and destroyed because of fire outbreaks are even more than the US$3M I proposed.  To move this country forward, we must be able to look at issues that affect our people on a daily basis.”

Meanwhile, the proposal from the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) lawmaker has been sent to the relevant committees of the Liberian Senate for actions.

Monrovia – Major road rehabilitation work has begun in rural Montserrado County, linking major towns and villages.

On Monday, October 30, Montserrado County Senator Saah Joseph resumes active road rehabilitation work across Rural Montserrado County, in continuation of his services to the people of lower Montserrado County.

The Chief Engineer of the project, Joshua Better said the project is a reinforcement of the lawmaker’s duties in connecting several towns and villages within one month.

According to. him, these paths have served as a challenge to the district residents and they are doing everything possible to fast-track the work, in line with the lawmaker’s desire.

Mr. Better said they are currently using yellow machines to include 966, motor gutters as well as a compactor to effectively rehabilitate the roads.

The project began over the weekend in Nyhen, the administrative headquarters of Todee, and is expected to reach Koon Town in Tubmanville Township.

Phase Two of the rehabilitation work will focus on the Bentol to Todee Youth Camp road which will provide easy access to citizens getting to Bentol or the Bensonville Hospital.

According to Engineer Joshua, the third phase will start from Pleemu Clan to Yeagbeah Town in the upper Meim Clan.

In conversations with cross-sessions of citizens over the weekend in Todee District expressed gratitude to the Montserrado Senator for his numerous developmental initiatives across the district.

Clan Chief Gbanjah Dohn said over the years vehicle owners and motorcyclists took advantage of the bad road conditions and overcharged passengers leaving the district.

With the majority of his people being Farmers, Mr. Dohn disclosed they find it very difficult to transport charcoals and some commodities to Red Light due to bad road conditions.

For her part, madam Musu Hunter a resident of the Nyhen clan couldn’t hide her excitement and told our correspondent that it wasn’t by mistake for them to re-elect Senator Saah Joseph in the October 10 General Elections.

Madam Hunter noted over the years the senator was able to provide them with solar lights, and medical supplies as well as recondition their roads across part of the district.

She concluded by saying, they are going to go the way of the Montserrado Senator by voting number two ( President George Weah) in the November 14 Runoff.

Meanwhile, Phase Two of the project will benefit the citizenry within the remote part of Todee most especially the Tubman Military Academy ( Barack) in the Ding clan.