By Samira Larbie
Accra, Sept. 26, GNA – The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has received vehicles and equipment to strengthen its operational capacity and improve emergency response under the Automated Fire Compliance and Safety System (AFCAS).
The assets, commissioned in Accra by Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, the Minister for the Interior, includes six Foton pickups, five Nanni saloon cars, five buses, 10 motorbikes, tablets and scanning devices.
The equipment is expected to improve the Service’s mobility, response times and capacity to undertake firefighting and rescue operations.
At a brief ceremony, Alhaji Mubarak said the support demonstrated a collective commitment towards safeguarding lives, protecting property and building safer and more resilient communities.
He said the GNFS played a vital role in Ghana’s security and emergency management architecture, responding to fires, road traffic accidents, disasters and other emergencies, often under challenging conditions.
The Minister said the effectiveness of the Service depended not only on the professionalism and courage of its personnel but also on access to modern equipment, reliable logistics and appropriate operational tools.
“These assets will strengthen operational readiness, improve emergency response time, support firefighting and rescue operations, and enable our personnel to serve the public with even greater efficiency, effectiveness and professionalism,” he said.
Alhaji Mubarak said the Government remained committed to equipping and professionally training emergency services to address risks associated with rapid urbanisation, industrial expansion, increased vehicular traffic and technological development.
He disclosed that the Central Tender Committee had concluded processes for procuring additional fire tenders, with arrangements underway for contract signing. He expressed optimism that the first batch would arrive within four months.
He urged the private sector, development partners, civil society organisations and philanthropic institutions to support initiatives aimed at strengthening emergency response institutions.
The Minister also charged GNFS leadership and personnel to ensure that the new assets were properly maintained, responsibly deployed, and used for their intended purposes.
The Minister also clarified comments he made during a Parliamentary Select Committee hearing concerning an Australian drug-related case, saying the government officials referenced, were Customs officers and Energy Commission officials, rather than GNFS personnel.
He said persons involved in the case had been remanded by the court while investigations continued and reiterated the Government’s commitment to fighting drug-related crime irrespective of political affiliation.
Alhaji Mubarak urged Ghanaians to observe fire safety regulations, promote safety awareness and cooperate with emergency responders, stressing that public safety was a shared responsibility.
Mrs Daniella Mawusi Ntow-Sapong, the Chief Fire Officer of the GNFS, said the commissioning represented a collective commitment to strengthening emergency response and protecting lives, property and the environment.
She said increasing urbanisation, industrialisation, vehicular traffic, commercial activities and emerging technologies were creating a more complex fire and emergency risk environment.
Mrs Ntow-Sapong said the new assets would enhance operational capabilities, mobility and response times, while providing personnel with the tools required to perform their duties effectively.
She stressed, however, that equipment alone could not make a professional fire service.
“The effectiveness of these resources will depend on the competence, discipline, maintenance culture and commitment of the officers who operate them,” she said.
She urged personnel entrusted with the assets to handle them professionally and responsibly, assuring the Government and the public that the GNFS would continue to improve operational readiness and professional standards.
The Automated Fire Compliance and Safety System (AFCAS), which started its operations some months ago, is a digital platform for the online application of fire permits and certificates and the tagging of fire safety equipment.The initiative forms part of the Service’s digital transformation agenda and is aimed at improving fire safety compliance, monitoring, and service delivery across the country.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo
Reporter: Samira Larbie