By: Godfred Amoaful
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), has launched a National Safety Awards initiative to honour safety excellence.
The initiative is aimed at promoting awareness of safety and best practices across industries to establish a safety culture among Ghanaians.
The Chief Fire Officer, Julius Kuunor, who launched the initiative, underscored the relevance of safety.
He said safety is a fundamental aspect of human lives that requires constant vigilance, dedication and practices. He said promoting safety excellence means, protecting lives, and fostering a culture where businesses can prosper without fear of a preventable fire incidence.
“Our goal is to make this awards program not just a celebration of achievers, but also a catalyst for continuous improvement in safety standards across the country.
The launch marks a significant milestone in our journey towards as safer Ghana. The launch serves to create awareness of Nationa Saftey Awards as a unique platform to promote and enhance safety standards nationwide.
Public safety is essential in ensuring the wellbeing of our communities. It involves a proactive approach to identifying potential hazards, implementing effective measures to mitigate risks and fostering culture of continuous improvement.
By priortizing safety, we are taking vital steps towards building safer and more resilient communities where every individual can thrive,” he emphasised.
The 2024 Ghana National Awards is an initiative that will celebrate and honour individuals and organisations who demonstrated exceptional commitment to safety practices and initiative in a year under review.
It has the vision of making safety culture a norm in Ghana and beyond. The awards initiative is also to ensure that the role of the Ghana National Fire Service in safety is recognised and enhanced through the provision of adequate resources for the service to deliver its mandate effectively.
The awards categories will include best safety performance in manufacturing, construction, healthcare, education, transport, and innovation.
The Chief Fire Officer, Julius Aalebkure Kuunour, emphasised that the GNFS will be involved in the assessment and evaluation process to provide expertise to ensure that the highest safety standards are recognised.
He added that officers of the service will conduct safety workshops and training sections to further enhance the capabilities of the participants.
A senior lecturer at GIMPA, Dr. Stephen Ankamah Lomotey, called for a mindset change to deal with safety, both domestic and commercial.
He lauded the GNFS for the initiative, adding that, it will go a long way towards impacting society by achieving a safe and hazardous-free environment.
Application for entries will be opened to the public from July 1, with the awards ceremony slated for October this year.
