body-container-line-1
28.06.2016 General News

Mamponghene Lauds GNFS

28.06.2016 LISTEN
By Daily Guide

The Mamponghene and Paramount Chief of the Ashanti Mampong Traditional Council, Daasebre Osei Bonsu, has commended the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) for the good work the service has and continue to render to the people of Ghana in the face of limited resources and equipment for the service.

The Mamponghene made these remarks when a delegation of the Command of the Ghana National Fire Service, led by the Chief Fire Officer, Dr Albert Brown-Gaisie, paid a courtesy call on the traditional council at Mampong on Friday.

Nana Osei Bonsu mentioned that because of space and competition for land, “there is an upsurge in the construction of high rise buildings in the country”, especially in Accra and Kumasi, which has brought in its wake complex fires that the GNFS has to contend with.

According to the Mamponghene, “The traditional council is very much aware of the challenges these new development posed to the service as accessibility to these buildings is difficult because the service has no equipment to reach the height of these new structures.”

The paramount chief said the time has come for the GNFS to be well-resourced and that the traditional authorities were aware of efforts to equip the service, but pointed out that this was not enough. The traditional authorities are, therefore, hoping that government through the Ministry for the Interior will do what is expected of them in order to well equip the Fire Service.

Daasebre Osei Bonsu recounted with horrific shock, the destruction of the former Foreign Affairs building by fire with pains, and said such monumental structures should not be allowed to go down in flames just because at the time, the Fire Service had no turn-table ladder that could effectively deal with the situation.

Daasebre Osei Bonsu highlighted that the House of Chiefs has seen the good works of Dr Brown-Gaisie, and hoped he would be given assistance by his lieutenants to continue to help mother Ghana as the chief fire officer cannot do it alone.

“The traditional authorities will continue to support the GNFS with office and residential accommodation as far as our might can stand, but be fair in the distribution of the national cake because the Command of the Fire Service cannot keep all the resources in Accra,” the Mamponghene disclosed.

Dr Brown-Gaisie thanked the Mampong Traditional Council and the National House of Chiefs for the show of appreciation and said it was time to give praise where praise was due and that this coming from Nananom will spur him on to do more.

He called on the traditional authorities to facilitate a stakeholder consultative meeting to look at alternative ways of building construction, especially in the Mampong Township, to help facilitate access to homes during disasters.

body-container-line