I’ve not appointed a new Chief Fire Officer – Interior Minister

The Minister of Interior has dismissed reports that he has sacked the head of the National Fire Service, Chief Fire Officer, Dr. Albert Brown Gaisie and replaced him with one Kwame Kwartin as alleged by a newspaper known as Daybreak.

According to the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, the newspaper further lied that one DCFO William Jesse Mensah, the former Head of Operations had been asked to proceed on leave “unfairly”.

A statement released by the ministry has clarified the issues and called on the paper to publish a rejoinder and give it same prominence as it did the false story.

The statement from the ministry said the minister “has not appointed anyone to be Chief Fire Officer.

The power to appoint rests with H.E the president.

“Dr. Albert Brown Gasie is still at post as the Chief Fire Officer duly appointed since 16th December, 2014….

“Mr. William Jesse Mensah, the former Head of Operations, retires compulsorily from active service on 12th September, 2017 prior to which he is expected to proceed on leave as due process requires. Consequently a letter was issued to him to do same, bearing in mind his annual and terminal leaves.

“It is worth noting that Mr. Jesse Mensah was given prior notice of his impending retirement in August 2016.”

The Ministry expressed sadness that the newspaper would politicize this simple issue of following due process by asking an officer due for compulsory retirement to proceed on Annual and Terminal leaves.

It said it was unfortunate that the “Chief Director, Mrs. Anno-Kumi is being vilified in a section of the media as a result of this utterly false publication. Mrs. Anno-Kumi is only a Civil Servant doing her duty and should be left out of this matter.”