A female hostel at the University of Makeni got gutted by fire last night. The National Fire Force could not respond because there’s no functional fire engine. The students managed to put out the fire but not until all the possessions had been destroyed.

So, this morning the students’ union contacted the country’s disaster management agency for emergency assistance with basic food and temporary shelter items. The agency reportedly said that they didn’t have funds.

So, my question is: What is their essence? Why do we set up institutions if we can’t provide them with the things they need to function? Yet we spend huge amounts on keeping them. If you can’t feed a baby, then don’t have a baby, in my Michael Jackson voice.

Cut down on the unnecessary spending and the bloated wage bills, and put the money into crucial sectors. We’ve neglected the Fire Force for far too long yet we expect them to perform wonders.