"Give Me My Keys" -Fire Station Closed Down

Komenda Edinar Eguafo Abirim (KEEA) District Chief Executive (DCE) Mr. George Frank Asmah has incured the displeasure of not only the Fire Station at Elmina but the townsfolk with one action. He unilaterally ordered the closure of the district fire office in October last year and has since "gone to sleep." Now the townsfolk, principally fishermen and women who depend on fossil fuel (pre-mix) for their operations are questioning what happens in the face of a fire accident.

Even though DCE Asmah insists the act was a disciplinary action to instil some sense of responsibility in the officers, the general perception in the town was that the closure of the station was the last in a series of attempts by Mr. Asmah to demonstrate his might as DCE. He was severally accused of placing himself in a position of conflict with the Member of Parliament for the area and other public figures.

Nana Kwesi Ntsin, who styles himself as an opinion leader told the Network Herald they pray that the president would see beyond the person of their Chief Executive and post to them someone who could compliment the efforts of the Member of Parliament and other stakeholders within the district.
A fire officer, who pleaded anonymity, however debunked the discipline assertion of Mr. Asmah pointing out that "the man just wanted to show power and has been doing so since he took office. He placed the local power of their Chief Executive to the position of his father and pleaded with the president to "remove the square pegs in round holes." Currently, the townsfolk appear more than set to see the last of Mr. Asmah who we were told was not on talking terms with the head of security in the district.



Network Herald rounds in the township of Elmina confirmed the general perception even though Mr. Asmah insists that his orders to close down the office followed what he described as unacceptable behaviour from fire officers detailed to safeguard life and property. The fire officers complained that in spite of their handicaps, they were fully committed to their work but thought it was about time they looked elsewhere for an alternative means of livelihood and job satisfaction.

Sections of them also assured that since prevention was the major part of their work, they would continue to educate the people on that and hope that no fire disaster shows up in Elmina. They refuted suggestions that they were sleeping on duty and asked how they could have "given compliments to the boss if we were asleep when he got there." The DCE's action comes in the wake of frequent nationwide fire outbreaks that have disorganised communities and destroyed life and property running into billions of cedis.
Mr. Asmah who was in the national capital when the paper talked to him denied all the accusations being levelled against him, saying he did not personally order the closure of the office but implored the District Fire Officer to close that particular fire office since it housed over 30 different departments and also serves as a recreational and meeting place of the community.
But he also maintains that they can only go back when they exhibit readiness to use the place for the purpose for which it was meant and until such a time that they are prepared to abide by instructions and professionalism. He justified the decision as a sign of protest because the action of the officers was detestable to a district that has placed professionalism at the top of its agenda.
Mr. Asmah also dismissed assertions that his action could spell disaster but said that as DCE he had no power to cause the relocation of a whole fire station to another community, saying all he did was to correct the conduct of the personnel. ?I don?t have the power to close down offices?, Mr. Asmah submitted.