Efforts to enhance fire safety to protect lives and livelihoods in the Upper Manya Krobo District have received a major boost following a practical fire safety sensitisation programme at Asesewa.

The initiative, led by the Youth and Women Empowerment (YOWE), an NGO in collaboration with the Upper Manya Krobo District Assembly and the Asesewa Office of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), sought to educate market women, traders and community members on fire prevention and fire-fighting in the event of fire outbreaks.

The activity, which formed part of YOWE’s 18-month phase two of the Action for Voice, Influence and Inclusive Development (AVID-2) Project, is being implemented with funding and technical support from STAR-Ghana Foundation (SGF).

According to Emmanuel Nuetey Siakwa, Executive Director of YOWE, the exercise is aimed at equipping groups, especially market women who are made up of small-scale traders and entrepreneurs, with fire safety knowledge that will not only safeguard lives and properties, but also strengthen livelihoods/businesses against avoidable losses caused by fire outbreaks.

Participants were equipped with knowledge and practical skills on the safe use of domestic gas cylinders (the common cause of fires), fire classifications, appropriate extinguishing methods, and the importance of following emergency contact procedures for real-time support.

They were also encouraged to avoid risky practices such as cooking and leaving unquenched fires in the market, which have been identified as a major source of market fires across the country.

The Station Officer and Head of the Safety Department at the Upper Manya Krobo Fire Station, Isaac Wiredu Marfo, who led the GNFS team to demonstrate firefighting techniques, explained the science behind fire outbreaks, noting that fire needs three things to thrive — heat, fuel, and oxygen.

Eliminating any one of them, he said, extinguishes the blaze. He further introduced participants to the different classifications of fires, including solid, liquid, and gas-related fires, and stressed the importance of using the right extinguishing method for each.

“We have been experiencing market fires in various districts and regions, so the safety department took it upon ourselves to visit markets and engage directly with traders. Domestic fires recorded in Upper Manya since January 2025 are fewer than ten compared to the previous year, a reduction we can attribute to increased compliance with fire education,” Station Officer Marfo said.

He announced that fire personnel would be deployed periodically to markets to monitor compliance and provide supervision.

Market Queen Mother of the Asorkper Traders Group, Manye Cecilia Mamle Narh, described the programme as timely and eye-opening.

“We had no idea about firefighting before today. Now we know the dos and don’ts, and we are grateful to YOWE and the Fire Service for this education. We will share the knowledge with colleagues who could not attend,” she said, pledging that traders would adhere strictly to the safety guidelines.

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Upper Manya Krobo District Assembly, Emmanuel Kwesi Lawer, also addressed the gathering, connecting the fire safety sensitisation to broader government plans for economic transformation.

He revealed that the District Assembly is advancing plans to establish a 24-hour economy Model Market at the Asesewa market to create jobs and boost trading activities.

“The President has directed that 25% of the annual District Assembly Common Fund be set aside to establish the 24-hour market. Within two years, we should be able to raise the funds, and affected traders will be given shops in the new facility,” he said.

The organisers (YOWE, DA, GNFS) expressed optimism that the initiative will contribute significantly to reducing the frequency of fire outbreaks in markets and households in the district.

YOWE indicated that the fire safety sensitisation forms part of a wider strategy under the AVID-2 project to empower communities, strengthen businesses, improve livelihoods and enhance safety standards across various sectors.

With stakeholders working together, the Asesewa Market sensitisation marks a step forward in safeguarding both lives and livelihoods in the Upper Manya Krobo District.