Editorial: Let�s Stop Fire Outbreak Now

Business Guide has noted, with grave concern, the frequent fire outbreaks in the country that is destroying properties and wishes to appeal to every single Ghanaian to fight against it. The causes of most of these fires could be due partly to shoddy electric wiring and the use of too many gadgets on voltage. Most Ghanaians tend to use a lot more gadgets than the wiring can support; it puts a strain on the power supply, thereby causing fire to break out. Inferior electrical cables and accessories on the market could also be another notable cause of these frequent fire outbreaks. The Ghanaian market in recent times continued to witness an increase in the influx of inferior lighting fixtures despite efforts by the regulatory authorities to stem the ugly trend. With the dreadful situation causing more harm than good, the trend has remained unabated and has continued to be a challenge to the regulatory agencies of the nation which have been helpless in regulating the daily influx of these lighting fixtures that have short life-spans. Our visits to the market recently revealed that some of the lighting fixtures fall far below the lighting standards and the quality leaves much to be desired. The lighting fixtures are cheaply acquired by unsuspecting consumers and it brings a lot of problems to them. Some even get their homes burned down and electrical gadgets destroyed. Lately, one is likely to see so-called energy efficient lamps being sold on the market but they are unable to save the energy required. This, we believe, must stop as it does not only pose health hazards, but also put consumers� lives in danger. Business Guide believes that electrical items must be carefully acquired so that it does not endanger consumers and unsuspecting users. We humbly appeal to all engineers, consultants, architect, electricians, clients and the Ghana Standards Boards to continue to insist on quality electrical fittings for their valued customers. We believe electrical fires could have been prevented if we had done the right things. Preventing fire outbreaks should be everyone�s responsibility instead of hoping that the government will come out with policies and frameworks to guide us in that direction.