Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has presented a 2026-model fire-fighting truck to the Bayelsa International Airport, describing the equipment as one of the best of its kind.
Diri handed over the modern fire tender, procured from Germany, to the Managing Director of the Bayelsa International Airport, Air Vice Marshal Nelson Calmday (retd.), at the Government House in Yenagoa on Thursday.
The governor said the sophisticated equipment was built to strengthen fire safety and emergency response operations at the airport.
He said, “To those of us not technically inclined, we would have taken this to be some kind of war equipment.”
Diri added that the truck, from its appearance alone, demonstrated the level of technology deployed in its construction.
“Seeing it from the ordinary eyes, you would not actually believe that it is a fire-fighting equipment. I know we have the best of the state-of-the-art fire-fighting truck,” he said.
The governor expressed confidence that the new equipment would significantly improve the airport’s operational capacity and safety standards.
Speaking after receiving the truck, Calmday disclosed that the airport had previously requested a water tanker from the governor because of a critical gap in its firefighting capacity.
He, however, said Diri exceeded the request by providing a modern 2026 fire-fighting truck.
Calmday explained that the airport had two fire tenders, but one had become unserviceable, making the acquisition of another emergency-response vehicle necessary.
According to him, the new truck is far more capable than a conventional water tanker, as it carries larger quantities of firefighting foam and water, making it more effective during emergencies.
Meanwhile, Calmday said the delivery of the state’s second aircraft had been delayed by the procurement and installation of its main landing gear.
He said once the landing gear installation was completed, the aircraft would be flown from Morocco to Nigeria.
The aircraft, an ATR 72-600, is similar to the first aircraft acquired by the state and is expected to be delivered to Pioneer Airlines, the operator of Bayelsa State’s aircraft, soon.
