Wa, Jan. 28, – Upper West Region
has recorded an increase in fire incidents from 178 recorded in 2016 to 204 in
2017, representing a 15 percentage increase.
Domestic fires topped the list
with 79 reported incidents followed by bush fires, which accounted for 46 reported
cases while commercial and electrical fires recorded 19 incidents each.
The rest are 18 vehicular fires,
12 accident fires, nine industrial fires and two institutional fires.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer
(ACFO) James Emmanuel Quao, the Upper West Regional Commander of the Ghana National
Fire Service (GNFS), disclosed this during the maiden WASSA celebration at the
Headquarters of the Regional Command in Wa.
ACFO Quao cited citizen’s apathy
in heeding to fire safety advice, late reporting of fire outbreaks and indiscriminate
bush burning as few of the several challenges confronting the service in the
Region, adding that the command had also mapped out strategies to address those
challenges.
He said with support from various
benevolent individuals, organisations and businesses, coupled with voluntary contributions
from personnel, the command had embarked on a self initiated project since
November 2016, which was at the lintel level.
ACFO Quao noted that the project
comprised a canteen, gym and a conference hall, hinting that it would provide for
the messing and catering needs of personnel as well as enabling them to keep
fit.
He announced that the command
would also open a model clinic within the confines of the Regional Headquarters
building to cater for the health needs of personnel and their families as well
as citizens and organisations within the catchment area.
“This is being done in
partnership with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) with support from private
individuals and organisations as well as other stakeholders,” he said.
He noted that the Ambulance
Service, among other things, had already donated some medical equipment to that
effect, announcing that the facility would be operational by the end of
February 2018.
ACFO Quao noted that while the
canteen, gym and conference facility was the first of its kind in the country, the
model clinic would also be the first of its kind in the Region.
He assured citizens of the
readiness and commitment of the Service to deliver on its mandate and appealed
for effective stakeholder collaboration to it to achieve its objectives.
Alhaji Abubakar Abdulai, the
Regional Coordinating Director who represented the Upper West Regional
Minister, Alhaji Sulemana Alhassan, commended the men and women of the Service
for the display of professionalism any time they were called to duty, adding
that such professionalism had helped saved lives and property in most cases.
He said the Regional Security
Council (REGSEC) was doing its best to address some of the security challenges in
the Region through the establishment of a Regional Security Fund and appealed
to all to contribute to the fund to support the maintenance of security.
GNA
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