The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in collaboration with stakeholders have developed 2019/2020 anti-bushfires campaign blueprint aimed primary at appealing to the people’s conscience to desist from bush burning.
The 2019/2020 Anti-bushfires campaign blueprint on the general theme: “My Environment, My Life: Stop Bushfires Now!” Would mainly use community radio programmes, community durbars, volunteer and peer education, door-to-door messages.
Chiefs and Queenmothers would also be roped in the campaign to join protect the lands under their jurisdiction, Religious Leaders, are being tasked within the blueprint to also preach on the negative impact of illegal fires especially as we enter into the dry season, whilst school children would also be educated and deployed as Anti-Bushfires environmental ambassadors.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) Robert Semekor Fiadzo, GNFS Director in Charge of Rural Fires, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview on Wednesday that; the GNFS Command being supported by the National Anti-Bushfires Campaign Committee and the Ministry of the Interior would launch the blueprint on October 11, in the Volta Region.
He explained that currently the Committee was engaging companies, oil marketing companies, players in the agricultural value chain financial institutions and other stakeholders to mobilise resources for the campaign.
He identified some of the items needed for the campaign as: Wellington and Combat Boots, Fire Beaters, Cutlasses, Nose Guards, Motor Bikes and Bicycles, Torchlights, Overalls, Megaphones, and Whistles.
DCFO Fiadzo appealed to institutions and the corporate world to come on-board the 2019/2020 National Anti-Bushfires Campaign and consider the fight as a Corporate Social Responsibility project as bushfires; “is not only destroying the habitation but our very survival is at stake. We are all at risk with rate of destruction of our vegetation.
“We are therefore appealing to all Ghanaians to join the fight against illegal fires. Traditional Leaders must protect their lands against bushfires. We are all involved hence the theme, “My Environment, My Life: Stop Bushfires Now!
The Deputy Chief Fire Officer who is also the chairman of the 2019/2020 National Anti-Bushfires Campaign, said “our doors are opened wide for the support. You can donate at National, Regional and District Offices of the GNFS or call me personally and we will pick the items up, whilst cheques should be written in the name of the Ghana National Fire Service.
DCFO Fiadzo noted that this year’s event is departing from the format of the annual ritual to a more robust and relentless all-year-long campaign.
He said companies who join the campaign would be offered a yearlong marketing and publicity platform whilst an exhibition platform would be created during the National, Regional and District launch.
