The Minister for the Interior, Hon. Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has called on Ghanaians and institutions to strictly comply with fire safety laws to cut down the number of fires and prevent the loss of lives and properties across the country.
Speaking at a stakeholder engagement meeting in Accra with the Bank of Ghana Collateral Registry Department and the Ghana National Fire Service, the Minister said compliance is key to the successful rollout of the newly launched Automated Fire Safety Compliance System, known as AFCAS. He explained that AFCAS stands for the Automated Fire Safety Compliance System, a digital platform introduced by the Ghana National Fire Service to replace the old manual and paper-based inspection and certification processes with a faster, transparent and technology-driven approach.
According to the Minister, AFCAS is designed to streamline how the Ghana National Fire Service schedules and tracks inspections online, allowing for real-time monitoring of compliance and early identification of high-risk facilities before fires occur. The system also makes it easier for businesses, property owners and individuals to apply for inspections, check their compliance status and receive digital certification. He added that the platform will generate reliable data to support evidence-based fire safety planning nationwide.
He described fire safety as a national necessity that underpins the safety of citizens, protects lives and properties and strengthens investor confidence. He revealed that Ghana records about 110 fires every month, leading to losses running into millions of cedis. To help the public appreciate the scale of the problem, he said the Ghana Statistical Service will soon begin keeping records of fire-related property losses. He also announced that the Ministry will next year publish the names of non-compliant institutions in the media as a name and shame measure to push institutions to do the right thing.
The Minister stressed that by law, financial institutions cannot accept properties as collateral unless they are certified by the GNFS as fire compliant, and every building and institution are required to obtain GNFS certification. He noted that while the law can be enforced, building consensus and collaboration are equally important for the system to succeed.
“Let us comply with fire safety to prevent fires in the country,” the Minister urged, adding that AFCAS aligns with government’s broader agenda of using technology to make doing business easier and safeguard investments in Ghana.
Mr. Fred Asiamah Koranteng, Head of Collateral Registry at the Bank of Ghana, thanked the Minister for championing the programme and assured him of the Bank’s collaboration and support to ensure compliance with fire safety regulations.
