The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) began its public sensitisation programme in Accra on Friday.
The series of awareness creation has been dubbed “Mobile Education” with the maiden one at the Adabraka market in Accra.
The objective is to educate the public, especially market women on fire safety tips and prevention.
Addressing the public, Accra Regional Fire Commander, Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Alhaji Nuhu Gibril said intensifying fire safety strategies at the various markets have become necessary due to recent fire outbreaks in our markets.
He mentioned that the Accra Region has recorded a reduction in fire outbreaks from 75 recorded in August last year to 67 in August this year.
Alhaji Gibril explained that due to this “we want to intensifying awareness, surveillance, risk assessment and training of traders to prevent fires from recurring and destroying lives and properties.”
ACFO Gibril said recent fires recorded in some markets in Accra have raised concerns for the Service to further deepen fire safety training strategies in the markets to prevent or drastically minimise it.
He said people have failed to adhere to simple fire safety measures such as using fire under strict supervision, engaging professional electricians in electrical installations, conducting of periodic electrical audit, provision of power stabilisers and power regulators for electrical gadgets.
He said it was essential for them to procure first aid firefighting equipment to protect lives and properties in the markets as well as have basic knowledge in fire safety.
ACFO Gibril stated that personnel of the service have been deployed to most of the markets in the region to respond to emergencies with the aim of protecting strategic installations in the markets.
He appealed to the citizenry to take fire safety awareness serious and observe the dos and don’ts of fire safety at all times, as fire prevention was a shared responsibility.
BY AGNES OPOKU SARPONG
