File photo of a slum in Accra
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has expressed serious concerns about the rapid expansion of slum settlements in urban areas across the country.
They warned that these unregulated and overcrowded communities significantly increase the risk of urban fires, making them hotspots for devastating incidents.
This warning follows the fire that occurred at the Sakumono-Asoprochona Railway enclave on May 5, which destroyed dozens of homes and displaced many residents.
According to the GNFS, the spread of makeshift structures, poor waste management, and insufficient access to fire safety measures in slum areas create a high-risk environment for fires.
In a report released on Sunday, May 11, 2025, Divisional Officer Grade 2 Desmond Essoun Ackah, the Head of Public Relations at the GNFS, stated that incidents of urban fires are becoming alarmingly frequent.
These incidents are often attributed to the unsafe use of open flames, illegal power connections, and negligence.
Ackah urged Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to take proactive measures to tackle these issues.
He emphasised the need for enforcing building codes and providing fire safety education to residents to curb the unchecked growth of slum communities and implement safety measures to prevent future tragedies.
The warning comes amid a surge in urban fires in recent years, many of which have been linked to electrical faults, improper use of fuels, and other human-related factors.
“Those people are low-income earners, and what we in the service have done over the period is to visit them, engage them, and let them know their responsibilities, especially when it comes to fire prevention.
“But as human as they are sometimes, they may be negligent, and for such places, illegal wiring is also rife. People use naked wires anyhow. Therefore, these could be the causes of fires in those areas. But if the assemblies can take this up to ensure that these slums do not erupt in the first place, or, better still, find a decent accommodation for these dwellers, it will go a long way to prevent some of these fires,” he stated.
The GNFS calls for collaborative efforts to mitigate risks and prevent devastating fires in urban slums.
NAD/AE
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