The first batch of newly procured fire tenders for the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) is expected to arrive within four months, the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, has announced.
He said the procurement process had been completed by the Central Tender Committee and that the government would proceed immediately to sign the contract to pave the way for the delivery of the fire tenders.
Mr Muntaka made the announcement in Accra last Friday when he commissioned 26 Automated Fire Safety Compliance System (AFCAS) vehicles and motorcycles, alongside other fire safety equipment, to support the operations of the GNFS and strengthen its emergency response capacity.
He said the arrival of the new fire tenders would boost the operational readiness of the Service at a time when rapid urbanisation, increased industrial activity, growing vehicular traffic, commercial activities and emerging technologies were creating increasingly complex risks.
Mr Muntaka said the government recognised that investment in emergency response institutions was not merely an expenditure but an investment in public safety, national resilience and sustainable development.
He said the government remained committed to ensuring that emergency services were adequately equipped, professionally trained and strategically positioned to respond rapidly and effectively to emergencies.
The commissioned vehicles comprised five 15-seater vans, five saloon cars, six pick-ups and 10 motorbikes, in addition to other fire safety equipment.
The Minister said the commissioning demonstrated the importance of collaboration between the government and the private sector in strengthening public safety and improving the operational capacity of emergency response institutions.
Mr Muntaka commended AFCAS for its contribution and encouraged the private sector, development partners, civil society organisations and philanthropic institutions to support initiatives aimed at improving the capacity of emergency response agencies.
He charged the GNFS to maintain and deploy the new vehicles and equipment responsibly, stressing that their long-term value would depend on proper maintenance, accountability and operational discipline.
The Chief Fire Officer, Daniella Mawusi Ntow Sarpong, said the commissioning represented more than an addition to the GNFS fleet, as the new resources would enhance the Service’s operational capabilities and improve mobility and response time.
She said the vehicles and equipment would provide personnel with the appropriate tools to perform their duties more effectively and strengthen the Service’s ability to save lives, protect property and minimise the impact of disasters on communities.
Ms Sarpong, however, stressed that equipment alone could not make a professional fire service, saying its effectiveness depended on the competence, discipline, maintenance culture and commitment of the officers operating the assets.
She, therefore, charged personnel entrusted with the vehicles and equipment to handle them with the highest level of professionalism and responsibility.
Ms Sarpong expressed appreciation to the Minister, AFCAS and other stakeholders for their support, noting that investment in the GNFS ultimately represented an investment in the safety and resilience of the country.
She urged personnel to regard the new resources as a renewed call to duty and ensure that they were used effectively and responsibly in the service of the public.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
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