Assemblies asked to provide infrastructure for GNFS

The workshop which was on the theme: “Fire Service Decentralisation: Policy Implementation Roadmap” also agreed that the assemblies should be responsible for the registration, management and deployment of fire volunteer squads trained by the GNFS.

Beside the GNFS being made specifically responsible for the fighting and extinguishing of fire, the workshop recommended that the responsibility for the provision of fire services by the assemblies should be vested in the service.

It was also agreed that in order to ensure a coordinated and harmonised approach to the provision of fire services at the district and sub-district levels, the Head of Local Government Service should expedite action to establish systems for effective inter-service and sectoral collaboration and cooperation between the assemblies and other services, including the GNFS, as envisaged under section 15 (6) of the Local Government Service Act of 2003 (Act 656).

Additionally, the workshop recommended that the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee should  include the Chief Fire Officer in the constitutional membership of the National Security Council to reflect the character of the GNFS as a security agency.

It also recommended that the metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) should continue to chair the District Fire Service Committees (DFSCs) and the District Security Committees (DISECs) established under the GNFS Act of 1997 (Act 537) and the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act of 1996 (Act 526) respectively.

The relevant provisions of enactments, including the GNFS Act, the Local Government Act and the Local Government (Departments of District Assemblies) (Commencement) Instrument, 2009, L.I. 1961 were recommended for amendment.