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The Fire Service chiefs did complain publicly about their lack of equipment. Even the President agreed that the Service was not sufficiently resourced. Does that exonerate the Fire Service hierarchy? The difficult answer is 'no'. Many will not agree. The practice these days is for heads of institutions, senior public officers and even ministers to complain in public about what impeded the discharge of their duties. It is then generally believed that they have done their duty well. But how do they get the tools to do their job? It is believed that the government is responsible for that. But who is the government? Are these senior public officers not part of the administration or government? In the past, at least in colonial days and after independence, senior civil servants were not expected to complain in public. Their views, fears and hopes were conveyed in thoughtful memoranda addressed to the competent authority through the appropriate channels. Have we these competent authorities today? And do they understand and do their work? Or do senior personnel just talk and try to attract good media coverage? n the case of houses, for example, there should be a competent authority for buildings in Accra or any town. It may be the Town and Country Planning Department or the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, or any other authority. Whoever is responsible cannot act alone. Engineers, environmentalists, public health experts, water and sewerage and electricity providers and disaster management experts including the fire fighting services should be involved in the formulation of building regulations. The list given is not exhaustive and one department or ministry may provide expertise to cover many areas. The important thing is that there should be wide consultation covering all relevant areas before the rules on building regulations are made. The implementing authority, the one who eventually gives the licence to build, cannot act arbitrarily but in accordance with the rules which can only be changed or modified after consultations with the body which formulated the rules. The process as in all areas of competent administration is not easy. It is time-consuming. It requires discipline. It cannot be done if those concerned do not keep to appointments. The process also requires coordination of views within departments. Knowledge must be pooled and trends and local character must be taken into account. It is interesting to recall that tall buildings were not allowed in Accra when I was at school. The dental clinic opposite the central General Post Office was built to house one Lebanese Dentist Saleeby. The building raised great controversy when it was designed as a three-storey building. There is therefore no reason why the Fire Service chiefs should not protest within the appropriate committee against excessively tall buildings. They should not have agreed to a building whose top they could not reach to fight a fire. They should have insisted that they would only agree if they had the necessary platform from which to fight fire at the top of tall buildings. We are using the recent fire at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to underline a major general principle. Institutions must fight for the wherewithal to do what is expected of them and not only agitate for higher pay and conditions of service. Running a modem government is not easy. It requires the harmonisation of many interests. It requires many long hours of study, reflection and structured meetings. It has not much time for funerals sufficient information about funerals and tedious ceremonies. It is normal. It is not only the Fire Service which considers public complaint. The other day a navy top-brass complained about the inadequacy of appropriate ships to safe-guard Ghana's territorial waters. This is serious and should be hammered out inside doors and appropriate action taken. With insurgents fighting for oil proceeds in Nigeria, piracy elsewhere, we need to protect our off-shore oil installations and narcotic smuggling by sea, we should give suitable priority to the requirements of the navy. It may be that the heads of institutions blurt out in public because they are frustrated when they approach issues and problems formally. My feeling is that they have a case and we should consider loosening the stranglehold of the Ministry of Finance. When I was a Principal Secretary in the Civil Service I was the Accounting Officer. I did not know much 'about accounts, finance and economics but I relied on my subordinate officers to ensure that work was done and the rules kept, Often I consulted the Accountant-General and the Ministry of Finance. Sometimes the accountant-General reminded me that the Cocoa money was not in and I should try to spend slowly. Sometimes I consulted the Ministry of finance about shifting items of expenditure or virement and the like. S.H. Arthur and Gyasi Twum (who is still around) and others were most helpful. Even the Bank of Ghana Governor, Albert Adomako did not hesitate to explain to me politely and persuasively why I should slow down with my requests for money transfers and arrange the President�s requests in some order of priority. In short, we worked as a team. We were all concerned with smooth and orderly financial administration. Today it appears that the Ministry of finance and Economic Planning is the only organ of State which can be trusted with Ghana�s finances. Planning and objectives appear to give way to economic and monetary considerations. I remember an injunction that subjects should not be taught unless there were more than 18.7 persons in a class! I believe we need a fundamental shift in our thinking. We should certainly maintain a good financial regime but the main aim of the government should be development and the eradication of unnecessary poverty and not the maintenance of desiccated statistics to please donors and the apparently all-powerful Washington institutions. Planning and objectives should indicate appropriate expenditure in various ministries and institutions. These organisations should indicate the allocation of expenditures necessary to achieve planning aims. The Ministry of Finance should not, under the influence of donors, dictate whether we should teach music or buy fire-fighting platforms. We need devolution of financial decisions. The ministries and institutions should be made to feel that they are responsible for their own financial administration and the achievement of plans and the objectives of government. Financial regulations should be complied with and those who fail to do so should be dealt with, irrespective of their position or station. Failure to obey the rules leads to freezing of expenditure to the frustration of executives and the detriment of the economy. Considering all the facts and factors we come to the uncomfortable conclusion that we share some blame for the burning of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Apart from the corruption, those who frustrated plans by undertaking projects such as unplanned roads share much blame for the inability to supply the Fire Service with what they need. Those of us who applauded them for the fine unauthorized roads they have built must also be blamed. The administrators and leaders who allowed institutional consultation to be replaced by un-thoughtful pronouncements and ad-hoc decisions cannot escape prime responsibility. As with many things which have gone wrong and are going wrong, the answer is simple � go back to history. Have confidence in the future, be determined to foreswear our foolish ways, be confident in our ability to do it.