By Juliet Mettle-Edmonds
To climax the Month of May which celebrates women all over the world, the Fire Service Ladies Association (FISLA) of the Ghana National Fire Service has honoured Female Fire Officers for their hard work and dedication to the country.
With its slogan ‘UNITY’, the Fire Service Ladies Association (FISLA) aims at ensuring a safe and secure environment for all women in the service. The issue of gender parity in security agencies like GNFS always comes into question, especially when institutions used to be the preserve of men.
Out of the 14 directorates under the command of the Chief Fire Officer, 8 representing 57 percent are headed by very hard-working and committed women Officers. These Directors are Fire Safety, Administration, Human Resource and Development, Logistics, Technical Services, Special Duties, Welfare and Health.
Four of the Female Officers also serve as Regional Commanders. It includes Greater Accra, Tema, Eastern and Bono Regions. It is quite obvious that gender and women empowerment is yielding dividends in the Service.
The President of FISLA who is also the Tema Regional Commander, ACFO I Doris Lamptey urged members to continue to advocate for Gender equality.
The Chief Fire Officer Julius Kuunuor said, ‘I believe FISLA will be able to rally around her to enable the Service to meet its target of reducing fire outbreaks by sixty percent by December 2023. This could only be possible by aggressively embarking on house-to-house as well as radio and television education programs on fire safety precautions nationwide’.
‘I am waiting for the day Female Officer shall be appointed as Chief Fire Officer. I therefore call on you all, especially the young officers to learn and work hard in your operational and administrative duties and to acquaint yourselves of the Nitti gritty of the core activities and mandate of the service’.
The Chief Director at the Ministry of Interior Madam ADELAIDE ANNO-KUMI encouraged the members of FISLA to remain united.
She commended the Chief Fire Officer for appointing female officers well qualified and deserved to positions of higher responsibility.
Adelaide Anno- Kumi encourages FISLA to put in extra effort to remove the negative perception that thwarts the efforts of women who occupy the top position.
There were solidarity messages from the Immigration Ladies Association (Immilas), Police Ladies Association (POLAS), Prison Ladies Association (PRILAS) and the GBC Ladies Association. Female Officers who have achieved high laurels in their line of duty were honoured.
Female Officers in Operations, drivers of Fire tenders and Assistant group Officers and sports. The Chief Director at the Ministry of Interior Madam Adelaide Anno- Kumi and the Chief Fire Officer Julius Kuunuor were also recognized. Other awards also went to Female Deputy Chief Fire Officers, Female Regional Fire Commanders, a Retired FISLA member, an outstanding FISLA executive member, and an outstanding FISLA regional executive.
Goal 5 of the SDG seeks to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world.
The celebration was themed ‘FISLA-our role in gender and women empowerment’.
