Published: January 16, 2013
Somalia Recruits Future Fire Fighters
By Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar
As part of the revival of the country's fire department Somali government and AU Peacekeepers have jointly launched a three week fire fighting training session for at least 15 new recruits with the help of the UK-based aid Agency IQRA foundation, which had played a key role in the international campaign to fight against famine and hunger in Somalia for the past several years.
IQRA foundation country director for Somalia and Somali Athletics Federation Vice president Abdullahi Mohamed Saneey who recently presented three fire engines to the Mayor of Somali Capital on the behalf of his Leicester-based humanitarian agency told the launching ceremony of the 3 week-long training program that his agency who has been in the past involved in the humanitarian campaign in Somalia is now turning to developing the civil services in the country.
"After our life-saving campaign in Somalia since late 2010, we are now very happy to become the first humanitarian agency to help the war-devastated country revive the fire department-IQRA foundation is also playing a key role in the recruitment of the future fire fighters with the help of Mogadishu Mayor Mahmoud Ahmed Nur and the AU peacekeepers in Somalia who are teaching at the tearing" Abdullahi Mohamed Saneey told the lancing ceremony of the program Tuesday.
He said that his agency has drawn special civil services development programs in the country adding that the humanitarian operations by his IQRA foundation will also continue in many areas in the country.
AMISOMM officers who spoke at the launching ceremony thanked the IQRA foundation for its tangible initiative to help Somalia revive its fire department which was inactive for more than two decades.
The AMISOM officers who are teaching at the fire fight training program noted they came here to help Somalia enjoy peace and stability and they were ready to play their role in such development programs as much as they can.
The Mayor of Somali capital and former basketball player Mahmoud Ahmed Nur who officially launched the recruitment sessions praised IQRA foundation for its help in the revival of Somalia's fire department. "I am happy to tell here in front of you that two more other fire engines are now on their way to Mogadishu-IQRA foundation is really praise worthy for its move" the mayor emphasized during his opening remarks Tuesday.
He also thanked the African Union Peacekeepers in Somalia who are teaching at the fire fight training sessions who he said were always standing alongside the Somali people to help them get out of the long-running lawlessness and anarchy.
"Somalia's fire department has been inactive since January 1991, but this tangible move will make more changes in this sector and as a mayor of the capital I am very hopeful that our fire department will fully start operation b y early February after this training has completed" the Mayor told the launching ceremony of the program Tuesday.
The Mayor accused the Somali business people for failing to buy fire engines for the country in a bid to help the revival of the fire department. "They have more riches at Markets but unfortunately they are not even buying fire engines to protect their business places, let alone helping their people-that is big misfortune" the Mayor noted.
He also urged the Somali Diaspora community to play a key role in the development of their country.
Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar is the NewsBlaze Somalia reporter. Contact him through NewsBlaze. Read more stories by Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar.
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