The 3rd Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) Conference took place in Accra, with Hon. Deputy Minister for the Interior, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, emphasizing the importance of collective effort in ensuring fire safety in Ghana.
The conference theme, “Resourcing GNFS for Effective Service Delivery: The Role of Stakeholders,” highlights the need for stakeholders to work together to prevent fires and manage emergencies.
Hon. Terlabi noted that plans are underway to resource the GNFS through the Security Services Fund, ensuring a more predictable and sustainable flow of resources. He commended the GNFS for their bravery and professionalism, acknowledging the risks they take to protect lives and properties. Fire safety is a national imperative, requiring the involvement of government, private sector, civil society, and ordinary citizens, he added.
The Deputy Minister urged stakeholders to support the GNFS with equipment, training, and resources, and for citizens to cultivate a culture of fire prevention in their daily lives.
The Chairman of the GNFS Council,
Nana Ofori Ahenkan II, acknowledged that no fire service in the world succeeds without proper planning and strategy. He emphasized that the fire service of tomorrow should be digitalized, intelligence-driven, and have professional officers to deliver on its mandate as expected.
In her welcome statement, Chief Fire Officer Madam Daniella Mawusi Ntow Sarpong stated that despite logistical difficulties, the Service has made strides through public education and saving lives and properties. She assured that GNFS will soon roll out its digitalization programme aimed at enhancing its work effectively, and that fire safety is a shared responsibility, requiring all hands on deck.
The conference aims to address the challenges facing the GNFS, including inadequate resources and infrastructure.
