By Yussif Ibrahim, GNA
Konongo (Ash), June 19, GNA – The Asante Akim Central Municipal Assembly has launched a fundraising campaign to procure a new fire tender for the municipality, raising GH¢300,000 through cash donations and pledges at a town hall meeting held at Konongo.
Dr. Ebenezer Ekow Aidoo, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), who announced the initiative, said the acquisition of a modern fire tender had become imperative due to the growing challenges facing the municipality in responding effectively to fire outbreaks.
He said the current fire tender serving the municipality frequently broke down, thereby affecting the operational efficiency of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in the area.
Dr. Aidoo noted that, fire disasters continued to threaten lives, homes, markets, farms, schools and businesses, stressing that, the absence of a reliable fire tender could result in devastating consequences for residents and the local economy.
“Fire does not discriminate.
When it occurs, everyone is affected, including traders, families, landlords, students and parents.
We cannot continue to gamble with the lives and properties of our people,” he stated.
The MCE explained that, the municipality faced significant challenges in responding promptly to fire emergencies due to the lack of modern firefighting equipment.
He said the procurement of a new fire tender would greatly enhance the capacity of the Fire Service to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies and help prevent the loss of lives and property.
According to him, the cost of acquiring a fire tender should not be viewed as the responsibility of the Assembly alone but as a collective investment in the safety and development of the municipality.
Dr. Aidoo assured residents and development partners that all funds raised would be managed transparently and accounted for appropriately.
As part of the fundraising efforts, a 21-member committee comprising prominent personalities was inaugurated to mobilise resources for the project.
The committee has been given six months to execute its mandate and support the Assembly’s efforts to procure the fire tender.
DO III Joseph Essien, Municipal Fire Commander of the GNFS, underscored the urgent need for a replacement fire tender, describing the existing one as old and unreliable.
He disclosed that the current fire tender in use at the Konongo Fire Station was manufactured in 2002 and had outlived its expected operational lifespan.
DO III Essien said the station served not only the Asante Akim Central Municipality but also the Asante Akim North, Asante Akim South and Bosome Freho districts, making the acquisition of a new fire tender critical to effective fire management within the area.
He appealed to individuals, corporate bodies and other stakeholders to support the fundraising campaign to enable the municipality acquire the much-needed firefighting equipment.
The event formed part of a town hall meeting organised by the Assembly to promote accountability, public participation and development financing within the municipality.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Yussif Ibrahim, GNA