‘Intensify public education on fire safety’ - Nana Yaw Akwada

Executive Secretary of the Bureau of Public Safety, Nana Yaw Akwada, a non-governmental organisation, has asked the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to intensify its public education on fire safety across the country.

The call follows last weekend’s fire incident that gutted down some buildings and offices inside the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel in Accra.

Speaking in an interview on Accra-based Eezy FM in Accra yesterday, Mr. Akwada explained that public education on the use of fire equipment and fire safety by GNFS was not enough.

According to him, statistics have revealed that on an average, there is one commercial fire service vehicle to ten domestic facilities.

He stated that it was mandatory by law for every premise to have fire safety tools and fire permit before opening to the general public for business.

He added that fire permit comes with the installation of some fire equipment such as fire extinguishers, mode detectors and a closet for fighting fire.

Nana Akwada urged managers of organisation to train a total of 40% of their staff annually on fire safety measures and how to use these equipment.

He added that every organisation should also have details of their buildings including fire permits, number of persons working and or occupying limits readily available to fire service personnel in order to help them check overcrowding and stampeding during fire outbreaks.

He urged organisations to be swift in alerting fire officers whenever these outbreaks occur, adding that with the introduction of the new law that mandates GNFS to carry out enforcement at domestic level, there should be immense improvement in the months to come.