The Savannah Regional Fire Command, has proposed strategies and programmes to effectively surmount the rise of bushfires and other fires outbreaks that affect the Region.

It said fire destruction, especially bushfire was a threat to the government’s intervention programmes on agriculture such as Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) and Planting for Export and Rural Development, and stressed the need for effective strategies to bring the menace under control.

It cited the activities of farming, hunting, charcoal production, honey harvesting among others as the major causes of bushfires and other fire incidences in the society.

A statement issued by Assistant Chief Officer, Mr Kwasi Baffour-Awuah, Savannah Regional Fire Commander, and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), indicated that the Command would create and sustain community awareness on the need to prevent and control bushfires in the Region.

“The Regional Fire Command has embarked on community bushfire education at homes, churches, mosques, schools, institutions, radio stations, lorry parks, work places and market places.

“We have also directed all District and Municipal Commanders to issue fliers and booklets on do’s and don’ts in respect to bushfires,” it added.

According to the Command, it would again develop systems of effective enforcement of bushfire legislations, saying, “We have made proposals to all the Municipal and District Assemblies in the Region to promulgate Bushfire Bye laws and also set up committees purposely for Fire and related activities in accordance with sections 15 and 16 of the Ghana National Fire Service Act, Act 537, 1997”.

Mr Baffour-Awuah proposed to various assemblies in the Region to form anti-bush fire task forces to monitor and enforce the bye laws to help reduce the problem.

He however said the Command underlined inadequate logistics as a major challenge that hindered their operations, and called for the support of government and other corporate institutions to be adequately resourced to help them carry out their mandate successfully.

Source: peacefmonline.com