MMDAs advised to establish bush fire control sub-committees

By Afedzi Abdullah, GNA

Assin Breku (C/R), Feb. 28, GNA – The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has advised Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to establish Bush Fire Control Sub-Committees to augment the efforts of the GNFS in controlling the burning of vegetation.

The GNFS said it would be a violation of the PNDC Law 229 of 1990 if MMDAs failed to establish such sub-committees.

The sub-committees, according to the GNFS would among other things check operations of individuals especially farmers and hunters whose activities might cause unintended harm to the ecology.

Speaking at the launch of the 2019 Central Regional Anti-Bushfire Campaign at Assin Breku in the Assin North District, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, ACFO Fanny Simpson, Regional Fire officer indicated that burning the bush was a crime, according to section 6 of the PNDC law.

The campaign which was themed "our future depends on sustaining the environment, let us prevent bush fires now" brought together opinion leaders, students and community members.

The occasion was also used to inaugurate new Bush Fire Prevention Volunteers, who were trained by the GNFS on how to tackle bush fires and domestic fires.

ACFO Simpson said the anti-bush fire campaign had become necessary due to the astronomical increases in the number of bush fires recorded in the region, which had caused damage to the ecosystem as well as a lot of private and public properties

She said protecting the vegetation was a shared responsibility and required a collaborative effort from all stakeholders to expedite action and set up the bushfire sub-committees.

Madam Simpson said, a total of 201 bush fires were recorded in 2018 alone representing about 100 percent increase over that of 2017 which was 94 and described it as ‘alarming’.

Mr Nicholas Kofi Baako, MCE for Assin Central, noted that the menace of bushfires had cost the nation millions of Cedis and urged traditional authorities in the region to use their positions to safeguard the lands by ensuring that culprits were dealt with when caught.

Mr Charles Ohene-Andoh, District Chief Executive of Assin North called on community members to avail themselves to be trained as volunteers to help their communities to fight bush and other fires.

GNA

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