Techiman (B/A), Jan. 29, GNA - Mr. Yaw Asamoah, National Fire Technical Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), has called for the reinforcement of the PNDC Law 229 to assist in controlling the rampant fire incidence.
He said because stiffer punishments were not given to fire offenders to serve as deterrent to others, many people continued to set fires deliberately to destroy farms and vegetation cover.
Mr. Asamoah who was accompanied by a working team from Accra on a two-day fire prevention tour in the Brong-Ahafo Region made the call during a courtesy call on Mr. Phillip Oppong Amponsah the Techiman South Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and some chiefs at Techiman in the Region.
Mr. Asamoah said that the spate of fire outbreaks attended to by the GNFS from the beginning of January this year alone, was so alarming and very threatening and could therefore lead the nation to hunger and economic difficulties.
He said the fire situation in the country now could be likened to the 1983 fire disaster
where a lot of farms were totally burnt , which brought about starvation and scarcity of forest products and resources.
Mr. Asamoah said the Brong-Ahafo alone had recorded over 51 cases of bush fires this year, excluding the minor ones which were not reported.
He said the fire situation had reached a point that everyone was needed to join the crusade of anti-bush fire to save the nation now for the benefit of future generation.
Mr. Asamaoh said as a result, fire task forces had been set up by the administration of the GNFS to move round the country to sensitize the general public about the hazards of bush fires.
He stated that acres of cocoa, cashew nuts and food crops have already been destroyed by fire this year due to the severity of the dry season, saying activities and practices of hunters, smokers, palm-wine tappers and farmers needed to be stopped immediately to prevent future calamity.
Mr. Asamoah urged the public to report anybody found sending or setting fire in the bush in this critical period to the security agencies to be brought to book.
He said the 2016 dry season was likely to extend to April and urge the farmers not to hasten to burn their farms, adding that even after April they should engage the services of fire volunteers in their communities to safeguard the process to prevent the spread of fire to other farms.
Mr. Amponsah noted that so much influence wielded by traditional rulers, politicians and other people of influential status and positions had brought about indiscipline and disrespect in the country.
He said there had been situation in which people found culpable of a particular crime had to be left to go free due to intervention from people in influential positions, adding that such attitudes was not helping the country.
Mr. Amponsah stated that wrongdoers must be punished by the law to discourage others from committing similar crimes.
Mr. Amponsah urged all Ghanaians to be positive-minded to fight the fire prevalence to save it from a national tragedy.
Mr. Asamoah who was accompanied by a working team from Accra on a two-day fire prevention tour in the Brong-Ahafo Region made the call during a courtesy call on Mr. Phillip Oppong Amponsah the Techiman South Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and some chiefs at Techiman in the Region.
Mr. Asamoah said that the spate of fire outbreaks attended to by the GNFS from the beginning of January this year alone, was so alarming and very threatening and could therefore lead the nation to hunger and economic difficulties.
He said the fire situation in the country now could be likened to the 1983 fire disaster
where a lot of farms were totally burnt , which brought about starvation and scarcity of forest products and resources.
Mr. Asamoah said the Brong-Ahafo alone had recorded over 51 cases of bush fires this year, excluding the minor ones which were not reported.
He said the fire situation had reached a point that everyone was needed to join the crusade of anti-bush fire to save the nation now for the benefit of future generation.
Mr. Asamaoh said as a result, fire task forces had been set up by the administration of the GNFS to move round the country to sensitize the general public about the hazards of bush fires.
He stated that acres of cocoa, cashew nuts and food crops have already been destroyed by fire this year due to the severity of the dry season, saying activities and practices of hunters, smokers, palm-wine tappers and farmers needed to be stopped immediately to prevent future calamity.
Mr. Asamoah urged the public to report anybody found sending or setting fire in the bush in this critical period to the security agencies to be brought to book.
He said the 2016 dry season was likely to extend to April and urge the farmers not to hasten to burn their farms, adding that even after April they should engage the services of fire volunteers in their communities to safeguard the process to prevent the spread of fire to other farms.
Mr. Amponsah noted that so much influence wielded by traditional rulers, politicians and other people of influential status and positions had brought about indiscipline and disrespect in the country.
He said there had been situation in which people found culpable of a particular crime had to be left to go free due to intervention from people in influential positions, adding that such attitudes was not helping the country.
Mr. Amponsah stated that wrongdoers must be punished by the law to discourage others from committing similar crimes.
Mr. Amponsah urged all Ghanaians to be positive-minded to fight the fire prevalence to save it from a national tragedy.
Source: allghananews.com
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