Fire Service takes delivery of 24 fire engines
Twenty-four fire engines were commissioned in Accra yesterday to provide rescue, evacuation and fire management services in different parts of the country. The water and foamy fire engines are part of 152 engines procured by the government under the auspices of the Exim Bank of the United States of America (USA) and the Belgium Government.
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Commendation
In a speech read on his behalf by the Interior Minister, Mr Prosper Douglas Bani, at the commissioning ceremony, President John Mahama acknowledged the growth and progress recorded by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) leading to the protection of property and investment in the country.
“I commend the GNFS for putting in place proactive measures to curb the rampant market fires,” he added.
The President noted that projects such as the introduction of home fire safety certification had ensured that homes were supplied with fire defence systems, including fire and smoke alarms and firefighting equipment, all of which ensured safety at home and the workplace.
He urged the GNFS not to rest on its laurels but continue to do more of public education and sensitisation to prevent fire outbreaks.
President Mahama assured the GNFS of the government’s commitment to improve the service, adding that the government had already approved 20 per cent rent allowance for all personnel of the service with effect from January 2017.
The GNFS
The Chief Fire Officer, Mr Albert Brown Gaisie, said the engines would give further impetus to the service’s effort at enhancing both technical and operational performance.
On recruitment, he said although there had been shortfalls in the recruitment of females into the service, management had put in place measures to enhance gender equality by empowering more women to aspire to leadership positions.
Mr Gaisie promised that good care would be taken of the fire engines.