The Assembly Member for the Kugri-Kontintabig Electoral Area, Joseph Nyagre Yenpusak, has expressed his gratitude to the Forum for Natural Regeneration (FONAR) for training 20 community fire volunteers to help tackle the scourge of bushfires in the area.
Speaking at the passing-out ceremony, Mr. Nyagre said he felt fortunate to be one of the few assembly members in the district to benefit from such an intervention. He expressed appreciation to FONAR, its partners, and the community members for their support and commitment to volunteerism.
He highlighted the devastating impact of bushfires on the community, citing instances where electricity poles had been burnt, resulting in power outages. He noted that the community had lost several poles to bushfires and appealed to authorities to take immediate action.
The Kugri-Kontintabig Assembly Member commended the volunteers for their dedication and pledged to collaborate with them to sensitize others on the dangers of bushfires. “I will take it upon myself, together with my unit committee, to organize meetings in Putin and Kugri to educate the community on the importance of protecting our environment and our homes,” he said.
Mr. Nyagre also called for the gazetting of by-laws to punish individuals responsible for setting bushfires, saying such measures were essential for safeguarding the community’s environment and health.
The training of the 20 community fire volunteers forms part of FONAR’s efforts to promote community-based fire management practices in the Nabdam District. According to the Executive Director of FONAR, Sumaila Saaka, the initiative has already contributed to a significant reduction in bushfires in the area.
Source: A1 Radio | 101.1Mhz | David Azure | Nabdam
