The Kogi State Government has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) towards ensuring the early completion of the proposed establishment of an Emergency Response Ambulance Bay for accident victims at Gegu-Beki area of the state.
Governor Yahaya Bello gave the assurance while receiving in audience, the Director of Search and Rescue at NEMA, Air Commodore A. Iyamu, who was in the state for an inspection tour of the site for the proposed establishment of the emergency response ambulance bay.
Bello, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Folashade Arike, described Kogi as a gateway between the north and southern parts of the country with heavy vehicular movements.
She said the heavy vehicular movements often lead to road crashes, hence, the proposed establishment of an emergency response bay along the ever busy Abuja-Lokoja was coming at a better time.
The governor promised to mobilize every needed human and capital resources that would lead to the actualization of the Emergency Response Bay.
He commended NEMA for its prompt interventions in emergency management, particularly in flood management and other emergencies that had affected the state in the past.
Earlier in his remarks, the NEMA’s Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore A. Iyamu said the establishment of the emergency response ambulance bay would cater for accident victims by providing three prong approach of first aid and other intervention in rescue management.
He said when completed, the Bay Centre aside having ambulances for rescue and attention, would be equipped with helicopters to convey accident victims by air to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital and the National Hospital Abuja for attention.
Air Commodore Iyamu lauded the consistency and resilience of the lawmaker representing Kogi KotonKarfe state constituency, for his initiative to write and request for the bay centre, describing the action as life saving and one to be commended.
Air Com. Iyamu praised the Gegu Beki community for donating a land and office for the take off of the bay centre, adding NEMA was also committed to the early completion of the project.
In his remarks, Hon. Zakari Osewu Mohammed, the member representing Kotonkarfe in the Kogi state House of Assembly, said the establishment of the Bay Centre followed a motion he moved in September 2017.
He described the choice of Gegu Beki for the establishment of the bay centre as strategic, pointing out that it would enable for quick response to accident victims towards reducing carnage on the ever busy Lokoja Abuja Highway.
Credit: Daily Trust
