By Baraka John
The Civil Defense Services in Western Equatoria State have withdrawn fire safety officers deployed at Yambio Airstrip, citing alleged non-compliance by the Directorate of Civil Aviation.
The Director General of Civil Defense Services in the state, Brigadier General Henry Luiz Malish, said the decision followed the failure of the Directorate of Civil Aviation to respond to an invitation he wrote in early August to discuss safety measures at the airstrip and the welfare of fire safety personnel.
Gen. Malish had earlier given the Director of Civil Aviation five days to meet with his office to address concerns surrounding the safety of the airstrip and the working conditions of the officers.
According to Malish, fire safety officers have been operating at Yambio Airstrip for more than a decade without a motorcycle, functional fire extinguishers and other essential equipment needed to respond to emergencies.
Speaking to King Media on Monday, Malish said the five-day deadline elapsed without a response, prompting his office to withdraw the officers from the airstrip last week.
He said the matter has now been referred to the national office of the Civil Defense Services, where it is awaiting feedback.
Malish also accused the Directorate of Civil Aviation of taking over responsibility for fire safety at the airstrip, saying aviation officials have maintained that the facility falls under the custody of Civil Aviation rather than the Civil Defense Services.
“We have withdrawn the fire safety officers who were stationed at Yambio Airstrip. We are now waiting for further instructions from Juba regarding the decision we have taken. Officials from the state aviation authorities have indicated that the management and responsibility of the airstrip do not fall under the Civil Defense Service, but rather under the State Ministry of Roads and Bridges. Therefore, we have withdrawn our officers to allow the institution responsible for the airstrip to carry out its duties. If anything happens at the airstrip, the responsible authorities should take full responsibility.” Malesh asserted
However, the Director of State Civil Aviation, Christopher Ismail, said his office was not aware of the withdrawal.
Ismail told Anisa FM that the Directorate had neither received an official communication nor a document informing it of the removal of the fire safety officers from Yambio Airstrip.
“I have not yet received any report regarding the withdrawal of the fire safety officers. If they were removed through an official document, I have not seen that document yet. Official matters are handled through proper documentation, so at the moment, I cannot provide further information on the issue.” Ismail said
The disagreement comes amid growing concerns over the availability of adequate emergency equipment and personnel to respond to potential fire incidents at Yambio Airstrip.2. Civil Defense Launches Fire Extinguisher Refilling Service in Yambio