Lack of access road to markets and other public places is impeding efforts by Ghana National Fire Service to put out fires in Bolgatanga. This was the outcome of a simulation exercise organised by the Service in the Bolgatanga market.
Statistics from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) reveal that the Upper East Region recorded a reduction in fire cases by 30 in the first quarter of 2018 as compared to the same period in 2017. In the first three months of 2018, the region recorded 107 fire cases.
There were 47 in January, 31 in February and 29 in March, as against 137 fire cases in 2017 with 48 in January, 44 in February and 46 in March.
In 2019, the region has not recorded any major fire outbreak. The success chalked up this year has been attributed to the numerous sensitisation programs carried out by the leadership of the GNFS in the region.
Addressing the media after the simulation exercise, the Upper East Regional Commander of the Ghana National Fire Service, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, ACFO Heroine Boakye, called on city authorities to clear all traders and hawkers selling at unauthorised places. She said that issues of congestions, human and vehicular traffics as well as obstructions from traders and hawkers at the market centers ought to be addressed.
ACFO Ms. Boakye told GBC’s Radio Ghana that the exercise was also to test the preparedness of GNFS to respond to any fire outbreak at the Bolgatanga Market.
ACFO Ms. Boakye pointed out that the service is doing its part to control fire outbreak but many traders fail to adhere to precautionary measures and advice from personnel of the GNFS. The Regional Fire Officer warned that the ban on group hunting in the dry season is still in force and appealed to traditional rulers not to intervene when the culprits are arrested for prosecution.
