The Ghana National Fire Service has launched its Home Fire Safety Certification Project and 2016/17 National Bush Fire Prevention Campaign in the three regions in the northern part of Ghana.
The Home Fire Safety Certification Project or ‘DumGya’ (Put out the fire), is aimed at tackling the ever-increasing domestic fire outbreaks in the country.
It is being implemented in partnership with private sector players under the national policy on public-private partnership on service delivery.
Speaking at the launch, the Deputy Upper West Regional Minister Dr. Alpha Museiku Akbar, mentioned that domestic fires have destroyed several properties in the region putting the lives of, especially, women and children at risk.
He commended the Ghana National Fire Service for Initiating the ‘Dumgya Project’ to proactively raise awareness on the rising spate of domestic fires most of which are preventable.
He expressed optimism that conscious efforts would be made to educate women and children on the proper use of gas cookers to avert home fires.
Dr. Akbar said the negative consequences of bush fires outweigh the prospects and should be guarded against.
He appealed to the Ghana National Fire Service to intensify its sensitization and anti-bush fire campaigns and to extend it to the rural areas where bush fires are prevalent.
He charged Municipal and District Assemblies in the Region to support the Ghana National Fire Service with bylaws on bush burning and to prosecute offenders in the courts.
Tiberias Ghana Limited, a wholly owned Ghanaian company, has partnered the Ghana National Fire Service in the provision of logistics for the centralization of the project, assist in training and equipment of personnel with appropriate technology in accordance with LI 1724.
Representative of Tiberias Ghana Limited, Mr Gyekye Darko, commenting on the initiative said his outfit will also provide home fire safety equipment such as fire alarms, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.
This, he said, would help reduce deaths through inhalation of smoke and assist insurers in the determination of premiums and payment of claims.
At the Upper East Regional Launch, the Regional Minister, Albert Abongo said the launch of the project is very timely as domestic fires continue to destroy lives and properties in the region.
He noted that fire aggravates poverty and deprivation because of the losses it brings in its wake and the injuries usually sustained.
He however indicated that the destruction caused by fires can be prevented with the adoption of fire safety measures at home.
He called on the Ghana National Fire Service and communities to increase collaboration on behavioral change to mitigate fire outbreaks in the country.
The Chief Fire Officer, Dr. Albert Brown-Gaisie, commenting on the project said the increasing spate of domestic fires in the country could’ve been prevented by following basic fundamental and rudimentary practices of fire safety management.
He said his outfit will continue to intensify efforts at fire prevention in the country.
Dr. Brown-Gaisie therefore called for increase citizen participation in fire safety and prevention.
Commenting further at the launch of the ‘DumGya project’ in Tamale, Dr. Albert Brown-Gaisie indicated that preventable fires put undue pressure on the national kitty.
He expressed worry about the rampant bush fire, especially, in food producing areas which he says affects the incomes of farmers and the food security situation in the country.
He also announced that the Ghana National Fire Service will form volunteer and fire prevention cadets in schools to complement efforts at creating awareness on fire safety and prevention.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Northern Regional Minister, Abdallah Abubakari, highlighted the importance of the Home Fire Safety Certification Project and the Bush Fire Prevention Campaign.
He said it would help residents prevent fires, especially, at the various markets in the region.
