An appeal has been made to stakeholders including the Municipal and District Assemblies, the National Petroleum Authority and the Environmental Protection Agency to desist from zoning high risk places for people to set up filling stations.
The appeal was made by the Upper East Regional Fire Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Mr George Asante Wiafe, in an interview with GBC’s Radio Ghana in Bolgatanga.
Statistics from the Upper East Regional office of the Fire Service has revealed 166 cases of fire outbreaks have been recorded across all the 15 Municipal and Districts in 2019. The figure represented 121 cases lesser than 2018, where within the same period, thus, from January 1 to December 31, the region experienced 287 fire outbreaks and 311 cases in 2017.
The impressive performance in 2019 saw a significant reduction in all fire categories cross the region with only one death, no injuries recorded whiles four persons being rescued.
The statistics showed that domestic fire outbreaks continued to dominate recording 68 cases of the total, though lower than what was recorded in 2018 and 2017, thus, 116 and 140 cases respectively.
Speaking to Radio Ghana, the Upper East Regional Fire Officer Mr George Asante Wiafe, disclosed that commercial and electrical fires resulted to 23 cases each while bush and vehicular fires were 16 and 17 respectively.
The year which witnessed more fire cases in Bawku and Bolgatanga Municipals than all the other districts, also recorded nine accident fire cases, three crown fire cases and three institutional fire cases.
The Regional Fire Commander explained that the impressive records being chalked in recent years was as result of intensive public sensitisation that his outfit has been engaging with members of the public.
Mr Wiafe noted that apart from the education unit of the (GNFS) in the region educating the public on the dangers of fires and the need to prioritise fire safety measures through the media such as radio stations, they have organised outreach programmes in the markets and lorry parks to drum home fire safety compliance.
He noted that, through the support of World Vision, they have been able to train fire volunteers in most communities in districts in the region.
The Regional Fire Commander explained that reducing fire cases is a shared responsibility from all stakeholders and it is therefore an imperative for citizens to prioritise fire safety measures and comply with the rules and regulations regarding fires.
Mr Wiafe stressed that his outfit was determined to further reduce the cases this year and appealed to media houses especially radio stations to give them free airtime to continue with the education processes.
He disclosed that apart from the refresher training that would be carried out to effectively equip personnel with the necessary modern trends of fire control and management to enable them handle emergency cases, house to house education approach would be adopted to educate families on the need to take fire safety measures seriously.
Mr. Wiafe stated that GNFS intends to record zero fire cases this, 2020 and appealed to the general public to cooperate with personnel of the GNFS when they commence their house to house education, especially in the interior, institution and the outreach programmes, so that lives and properties can be saved.
He further appealed to citizens to avoid seeking shelter at filling station or park their cars under any filling station because it has the tendency of sparking uncontrollable fires.
Story filed by Emmanuel Akayeti.
