The Kumasi City Market has been crowned champions of the inter-market fire safety quiz competition held in Kumasi on Tuesday.

Organised by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the maiden programme was aimed at educating traders on how to implement stronger safety measures to prevent fire outbreaks, particularly in market places.

The competition, which focused mainly on fire prevention and safety practices in markets, featured four markets within the Kumasi Metropolis: Tafo Market, Kumasi City Market (Kejetia), Atonsu Market, and Asafo Market.

At the end of the contest, Kumasi City Market emerged victorious with 36 points, followed by Tafo Market with 33 points. Asafo and Atonsu markets placed third and fourth with 27 and 22 points respectively.



It is worth noting that prior to the competition, a series of training workshops were held at the various markets. These workshops form part of the GNFS’s efforts to strengthen its sensitisation programmes at the grassroots level.

Speaking after the event, the Ashanti Regional Commander of the GNFS, ACFO II Peter Tetteh, said the core objective was to shift focus from firefighting to fire prevention, adding that “prevention is better than cure.”

“We are allowing the public to understand what fire is, what causes it, and how to prevent it. The goal is to make them realise that they are the best people to prevent a fire from occurring in the first place,” he said.

He added that the training also equips participants with the necessary skills to manage small fires before they escalate.

Reacting to the maiden edition of the quiz competition, the commander expressed satisfaction with the outcome of both the contest and the preceding training sessions.

He noted that although the participants had no professional background in firefighting, they demonstrated a remarkable ability to learn and performed creditably during the contest.

“I am so happy because these participants are not firemen or women, yet within a short period, they were able to grasp about 70 per cent of the concepts. They were able to provide the right answers to the various scenarios presented. We are very satisfied with this outcome,” he said.

According to him, the Fire Service plans to expand the community-based training initiative to empower more citizens to protect their homes and businesses from fire hazards.

At the end of the event, several gifts were presented to the participating teams. The winning team received additional awards, including a cash prize, a fire extinguisher, and a trophy.

Acting Manager of the Kumasi City Market, Ernest Afayam, thanked the Ghana National Fire Service for organising the programme.

He stated that the market management remains ready to collaborate with the GNFS to combat fire outbreaks and urged participants to put the knowledge acquired into practice.