Fire Officer says it illegal for personnel to demand payment

Koforidua, Feb 18, GNA - Mr Bartholomew Kofi Nketsiah, the Eastern Regional Fire Commander, on Friday appealed to households to report any Fir= e Officer who demands before or after discharging his duties. "The cost of every fire fighting is borne by the government so households are not supposed to pay a dime whenever they become victims of any fire outbreak" he said.

He however emphasized that there is nothing wrong if a household decides to appreciate fire fighters in any kind saying 93nobody can preven= t any person from showing appreciation out of their own will." Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Koforidua, Mr Nketsiah said the region responded to 196 fire outbreaks and attended to 81 accidents last year.

He said as compared to 2009 where 220 outbreaks or accidents were recorded, there had been a reduction of 24 accidents in 2010. Mr Nketsiah said his outfit undertook activities in the year to avert rampant fire outbreaks which included, Fire Safety Education, Fire Voluntee= r training out of which 250 volunteers from 15 communities were trained. Mr Nketsiah said a Market Audit was also carried out at the Koforidua Central Market in conjunction with Electricity Company of Ghana and the Municipal Assembly where 120 illegal connections were disconnected. He expressed worry that apart from the fire tenders, the districts hav= e no utility vehicles to carry out essential activities adding that the regio= n lacks accommodation for its personnel.