A fire station, well-stocked with modern firefighting equipment, has been inaugurated at Ministries, as part of measures to enhance the security of the area.
The facility, situated between the Controller and Accountant General’s Department and the Head of Civil Service building, in Accra, has the complement of fully trained fire personnel, a fire tender and a host of ancillary gears and apparatus for fire fighting and prevention.
It is the 27th fire station to be inaugurated since last quarter of last year by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and adds to recent measures to heighten security within the Ministries in the wake of new security challenges.
Nana Agyekum-Dwamena, the Head of Civil Service, said the existence of the fire station is not to only ensure rapid and adequate response to fire safety and protection of employees, property as well as visitors to the government business environment.
“But also to undertake fire and allied peril preventive measures, such as inspection and advice on purchase and use of fire equipment, fire drill and alertness, education and physical security support to the area.”
Nana Agyekum-Dwamena said the initiative had not only culminated in the commission of the fire station but also the formation of the ministerial area security task force, which had wider responsibility of ensuring the overall security of life and property.
“As part of their terms of reference it is expected that the taskforce will put in place actions to free the ministerial area that the taskforce will put in place actions and activities including structure, hawking and truck pushing and parking,” he said.
The Head of the Civil Service called on the public to join forces so that collectively and through the station national assets, information and life could be protected.
"It is important that we do not ignore behaviours from our neighbours that can land all of us in serious troubles.”
Mr Samuel Anakwaah, the Director f Research at the Interior Ministry, said the establishment of the fire station is timely and would enable the GNFS serve the various offices, and other national installations within the immediate environment.
He pleaded with the citizenry to give adequate attention to issues of fire safety and prevention in their day-to-day dealings.
Mr Anakwaah therefore commended the GNFS for pursuing its vision of providing emergency and essential services to government installations and more especially bringing up the service closer to the people.
Dr Albert Brown Gaisie, the National Chief Fire Officer, noted that undesired fires are still a threat to lives and property and called on Ghanaians to play active roles in fire prevention and management.
He told chief directors of the various ministries , heads of department as well as the public on the need to be fire-wary, especially those related to domestic and bush burning, assuring the nation that the doors of the Service is opened to all.
<<Print>>