Stop Assaulting Us— Fire Service Warns Public

Management of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has condemned the attacks being meted out on firefighters in the country.

A statement signed and issued by the Head of Public Relations at GNFS, Ellis Robinson Okoe on Friday, described the treatment as unfair adding that it prevents personnel from conducting their legal mandate as Fire Officers.

This was after some members of the GNFS were attacked in Asamankese a town in the Eastern Region, and Dawhenya in the Greater Accra Region.

At Dawhenya firefighter were said to have been attacked with stones and sticks by some irate youths, when they arrived in the area. Three of the firefighters sustained various degree of injuries.

Whiles condemning the act, management of GNFS has appealed to the Minister of Interior to institute a probe into this matter to ensure that Fire Officers would be free to do their work without fear.

"The Ghana National Fire Service unreservedly condemns this dastardly act and wishes to reiterate that fire management is a shared responsibility. We will continue to bring our services to the doorstep of all Ghanaians to ensure maximum public safety," they added.

Below is the Statement:

PRESS STATEMENT

(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE)

STOP THE UNNECESSARY ATTACK ON FIREFIGHTERS

Management of the Ghana National Fire Service has taken notice of a recent trend of Assault on firefighters by a section of the general public thus preventing personnel from conducting their legal mandate as Fire Officers.

It would be recalled that over the last few months there have been attacks on Fire Officers the recent one being the Asamankese attack in the Eastern Region and Dawhenya in the Greater Accra Region.

Management takes a serious view of this shameful act by a section of the public, who have perpetrated this crime with the excuse that Firefighters did not attend to the fire incident early enough.

It should be noted that Fire Officers can only be able to attend to emergencies when they are called early. Response time is very key to firefighting and therefore we do not compromise on that.

In the case of the Asamankese attack, the fire tender had broken down and there was nothing the Fire Officers could do than to fall on Kade Fire Station which was quite a distance away. Also, some irate youths of Dawhenya were demonstrating and set tires on fire in the middle of the road. Firefighters were called to douse the fire but were attacked with stones and missiles as a result three (3) of the firefighters sustained various degree of injuries.

It is unfair for Fire Officers to suffer such attacks whilst performing their legitimate duty for God and Country. It is worth saying, that despite our limited resource and constraints, we go all out to ensure that we bring all fires under control and act promptly during rescue and road accidents. The Ghana National Fire Service unreservedly condemns this dastardly act and wishes to reiterate that fire management is a shared responsibility. We will continue to bring our services to the doorstep of all Ghanaians to ensure maximum public safety.

The Service would also appeal to the Minister of Interior to institute a probe into this matter to ensure that Fire Officers would be free to do their work without fear.

SIGNED

ELLIS ROBINSON OKOE

DOII

HEAD OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

0244768354/0299341254