GNFS to embark on exercise with the Police

Sekondi, May.27,- GNA- Mr. Felix Kwame Ferkah, the Chief Fire Officer, on Friday said the safety directorate of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) is to embark on an exercise with the Police to arrest owners of premises who do not have fire certificate.

Mr. Ferkah said the exercise is to ensure total compliances with the requirements of Legislative Instrument (LI) 1724, Fire Precaution (Premises) Regulation 0f 2003.

He was addressing a durbar organised in his honour by officers and men of the Western Regional Command of the GNFS at Sekondi. He said notices would be published in the media to precede the exercise.

Mr. Ferkah said the LI 1724 would be enforced if the Service was to achieve its objective of reducing fire outbreaks.

He said the law has the dual objective of ensuring safety of occupants of premises and to generate funds for the State.

Mr. Ferkah said fire personnel could not effectively enforce the legislative instrument unless they were conversant with its content. They should, therefore, obtain copies for their personal study and endeavour to devise innovative ways of increasing revenue from fire safety activities, he said.

Mr. Ferkah said the focus of the Service is now on fire safety and urged the Regional Command of GNFS to intensify fire safety education to reduce the incidence of fire outbreaks in the region by at least 20 per cent by the end of the year.

He said his office is open to all to channel suggestions and grievances through their immediate heads.

He cautioned the personnel of the Service against the temptation of leaking information to the press with the aim of tarnishing the image of the Service or individuals.

Mr. Ferkah called on Regional, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Fire Officers to operate an open-door policy and hold regular durbars to receive and address grievances of personnel.

Nana Ekow Abban, Western Regional Fire Officer, said the command is waiting for directives from the national headquarters to sanction institutions and establishments that have flouted the Fire Safety Bill. He said periodic fire outbreaks occur at Kokompe Light Industrial Area in Takoradi as a result of people deliberately setting fire in the area.

Nana Abban said the recent fire outbreak at the Takoradi Central Market caused damages estimated 600 at million cedis. He said the people of Prestea are not cooperating with GNFS and some people there threaten fire personnel and the Service is considering relocating to different district as a result of this. Nana Abban said at Tarkwa, the Service faces water problem and has to buy water for fire fighting because the fire hydrants there are sealed. He said this must be resolved as early as soon as practicable to avoid any unpleasant situation for the service.