The Ministry of the Interior is to collaborate with two other ministries to resolve the persistent residential accommodation challenge confronting the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS).
About 6,000 fire officials currently require residential accommodation.
The sector minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, said he would engage the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing to ensure the allocation of some of the affordable houses to the service.
Interacting with officials of the service in Accra yesterday during his familiarisation tour of two agencies under the ministry, Mr Woyongo said the problem was hindering the decentralisation of the service, aside the other challenges.
The tour was to enable the newly appointed minister to familiarise himself with the departments and agencies under the ministry, as well as know their challenges and achievements to help map out strategies to improve their operations.
To complement efforts by the central government to address the accommodation challenges of the GNFS, Mr Woyongo proposed that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development should ensure that all assemblies that required fire stations provided residential accommodation for the fire officers who would be posted to their areas.
He described the housing deficit facing the GNFS as huge for which reason the central government alone could not address it in the short term.
Re-enforcement exercise
Mr Woyongo said as part of an ongoing re-enforcement exercise at the GNFS, 80 additional fire engines had been purchased for the service to enhance its operations.
He appealed to the service to take very good care of the equipment to ensure a long life span for them so that subsequent funds could be used to provide for the needs of other institutions.
He hinted that more personnel would be recruited into the GNFS to enhance its performance.
Advice
Mr Woyongo advised personnel of the service to uphold discipline and desist from acts that would bring the name of the GNFS into disrepute.
He also advised them to avoid partisanship in order to maintain the credibility of the GNFS.
The Interior Minister applauded the GNFS for its work over the years, especially as its personnel risked their lives to save other people�s lives and property, and assured them of the government�s support.
The acting Chief Fire Officer, Brigadier General John Bosco Guyiri, on behalf of the service thanked Mr Woyongo for his visit and interaction, particularly as they were aimed at helping to improve GNFS�s operations.
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