Fire Service officer calls for professionalism
The Director of Legal Affairs of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) Kwaku Obiri Ohene, has appealed to personnel of the Service to avoid compromising their positions by accepting gifts from institutions during inspection of fire certificates.
He urged them to act professionally in the discharge of their duties to earn them and the Service respect.
DCFO Ohene said this at a day’s workshop in Sunyani as part of the GNFS Brong -Ahafo Regional fire week celebration to sensitize the public on the causes, hazards and prevention of fire outbreaks.
The workshop, under the theme “Fire safety: a shared responsibility” was attended by traders, service providers, the media, personnel of other security services and the public.
He said all public buildings, residential accommodations, places of work, shops, entertainment and recreational centres, educational and health institutions were required to have fire certificates before they start operations.
DCFO Ohene said all acquired fire certificates were subject to 12 months renewal, adding that fire officers must ensure that equipment like fire extinguishers were available at public places and people working there were well trained about how to use them.
He said failure to obtain fire certificates by public institutions was an offense that attracted a fine of 25 penalty units or 12 months imprisonment.
Mr William Parkoe of Volta River Authority (VRA) in Sunyani said the use of non standard electrical cables for wiring had been the major cause of fire outbreaks and called on the Ghana Standard Authority to check the influx of such cables into the market.
He urged the public to seek the services of qualified electricians for all their electrical works and also desist from illegal connections to save their properties.
Mr Bright Ahiabre, Brong-Ahafo Regional Station Officer of the Safety Department of GNFS, said about 195,000 deaths occurred from fires each year in the country and added that incidence of fire continued with an annual increase of 10 per cent.
He said Brong-Ahafo Region became first in the country with 530 fire cases recorded in the first and second quarters of this year.
Source: GNA