Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Western Equatoria State’s Civil Defence Services say they are unable to respond effectively to emergencies due to a lack of essential equipment, including a functioning firetruck and water tank, officials told reporters Tuesday.
Colonel Henry Malesh, Director of Civil Defence Services, revealed that a donated firetruck remains inoperable because it lacks a critical computer system needed to operate it.
“We urgently appeal to the acting governor and humanitarian partners like UNICEF and other U.N. agencies to support us,” Malesh said in Yambio, the state capital.
He added that all fire extinguishers are empty and that transporting them to Juba for refilling is difficult due to a lack of transport. The Civil Defence also lacks other vital equipment, including water tanks, hoses, gas masks, and emergency vehicles, he said.
“If a fire breaks out at Yambio airstrip or anywhere in town, we may not reach in time. We need a well-equipped fleet and facilities to save lives and property,” Malesh said.
The Civil Defence team also claimed they were excluded from key decision-making processes under former Governor Alfred Futuyo Karaba. Malesh said they were not included in critical coordination meetings at the state’s technical headquarters.
“Under the previous leadership, we were sidelined. Our voices were not heard. We hope the new administration will include us in every planning stage,” he said.
For his part, Acting Governor Daniel Badagbu Rimbasa acknowledged the difficulties and pledged to raise the issue with national authorities in Juba.
“They are an incredibly disciplined and organized team. I have seen their commitment. We will take these concerns to the national leadership,” Badagbu said.
He admitted that the lack of fire extinguishers, water tanks, and functioning firetrucks poses a major public safety risk.
“Without proper resources, it is difficult to prevent or respond to hazards. There’s an urgent need to equip our Civil Defence units,” he said.
South Sudan is facing a severe economic and financial crisis. Several reports indicate that the country is grappling with a multitude of interconnected challenges, including a heavily oil-dependent economy and internal governance issues.
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