A 17-member National Safety Taskforce of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) was inaugurated yesterday in Accra in order to heighten public awareness on fire safety and fire certificate acquisition.
They would also seek to ensure the compliance of fire precaution regulation 2003, LI 1724 and its amended version LI 2239 2016.
The taskforce would carry out series of visits to inspect fire certificates, educate proponents who are fire advocates on the procedures of acquiring fire certificate, assess fire cover and identify service providers authorised to deal in fire products.
It is chaired by the Director of Safety of the Service, Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO), Daniella Mawusi Ntow.
The Chief Fire Officer (CFO), Mr Julius Kuunour, inaugurating the taskforce said with the intensive fire safety education, the public would become aware of the important role in achieving fire-free nation to support development agenda.
He stressed the need to involve the participation of individuals in fire prevention to preserve lives and properties.
The CFO said the fire taskforce would also be clothed with the powers to train proponents on fire safety, and initiate legal action against recalcitrant proponent.
He urged the members of the taskforce to put in all their effort and inspire colleagues to work harder towards the success of the task on public safety education, creating of fire safety awareness and generate revenue for the state and the service.
The CFO encouraged the team to exhibit the needed skills acquired through their training and live up to expectation.
Mr Kuunour said the Service had recorded 4,507 fire cases from January to September this year as against 4,789 the previous year, a decrease of 282 representing 5.9 per cent.
He said domestic fires recorded the highest with 1,818 followed by commercial fires of 747, electrical fire of 559, and bush fire of 566.
DCFO Ntow said the taskforce would engage owners of both public and private facilities on the need to embrace fire safety.
She said fire safety was a shared responsibility and urged the public to cooperate with the taskforce.
The safety director assured of the taskforce commitment towards reducing fire outbreak in the country.
The members are Divisional Officer Grade three (DOIII) Eva Quaicoe; DOI Jemima Musah; DOIII Peter Adai; Assistant DOI Akobanyam Bright Awonatey; DOIII Jatuat Paulina; DOIII Alice Ba-Smith and DOII Ayireke Timothy.
The rest are ADOI Emmanuel Buckman; DOI Evans Osei Owusu; DOIII Tisong Charles; DOII Mustapha Nyarko Hammah; DOII Joseph Awhere; DOIII Salisu Sirilbaini and ADOII Imoro Braimah.
BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI
