Vice-President inaugurates Fire Academy at Duayaw Nkwanta

The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has inaugurated a Fire Academy and Training School at Duayaw Nkwanta in the Tano North Municipality in the Ahafo Region.

The facility, which is the third in the country after the ones in James Town in Accra and Wungu in the North East Region, is made up of a three-storey administration block, male and female dormitories, classrooms, dining hall and a canteen.

Additionally, the project, the first of its kind in the Middle Belt of the country, has a training square and an advanced training equipment to facilitate practical training. A short ceremony to inaugurate the first phase of the facility yesterday brought together hundreds of people, especially traditional leaders, commanders of security agencies and officers, as well as some community members.

The Vice-President was accompanied by the Minister for the Interior, Henry Quartey, and the Chief Fire Officer, Julius A. Kuunuor, to inspect the guard of honour.

Recruitment

Inaugurating the facility, Dr Bawumia said the government had recruited more than 7,000 fire service personnel in seven years. "It is unprecedented in the history of the GNFS for a single government to recruit more than 7,000 personnel.

"When we came into office, the fire service had a total of 8,000 personnel. That is from independence to 2017, and we have come into office just after seven years, we have added 7,000 personnel to the GNFS", he said, describing it as an 88 per cent increase.

The front view of the Duayaw Nkwanta Fire Academy and Training School Administration block

Dr Bawumia said the achievement by the government showcased its commitment to enhance the capabilities of the service to provide world class emergency fire fighting and rescue services to Ghanaians.

He said the government was poised to recruit more personnel into the GNFS to meet the international standards and ensure a fire man ratio of 1:800.

Modern equipment

Dr Bawumia said the government had put in place an advanced plan and effort as a matter of urgency to resource the GNFS with modern equipment. He said the provision of the command vehicles, modern fire engines, drones, rapid intervention vehicles, buses, appropriate personal protective equipment, and rescue and fire fighting equipment were part of the comprehensive strategy to ensure that the fire fighting personnel were well equipped to respond efficiently to emergencies.

Dr Bawumia said the provision of support in terms of modern training facilities and equipment was a strategic move to ensure the safety of lives, businesses, livelihood and properties of the public.

Dr Bawumia said the inauguration of the project demonstrated the government's commitment to the safety and well-being of the public. He, therefore, urged the GNFS to intensify its work to reduce fire outbreaks in the country.

Mob attacks

The Chief Fire Officer expressed concern about the increasing number of mob attacks on personnel and appliances as incidents impinging on effective service delivery.  Mr Kuunuor said the service also continued to receive hoax calls or false alarms from mischievous members of the public.

He said in 2022 the service received 611,660 hoax calls and 691,591 in 2023. He said such calls blocked or delayed genuine distress calls for attention. Mr Kuunuor said courses in the training academy were designed to instill in trainees the knowledge and skills necessary to handle diverse and complex Firefighting and Rescue scenarios.

For his part, the Ankobeahene of the Duayaw Nkwanta Traditional Area, Nana Ochyere Gyawhene, appealed to the government to name the school after the late Nana Boakye Tromo III, Omanhene of the Duayaw Nkwanta Traditional Area.

History

The Duayaw Nkwanta Traditional Council, led by the late Nana Boakye Tromo III, Omanhene of the Duayaw Nkwanta Traditional Area, released 30.28 acres of land in 2015 for the establishment of the Duayaw Nkwanta Fire Academy and Training School (FATS).

Writer's email: biiya.ali@graphic.com.gh