Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service in Akuapem North Municipality in the Eastern Region are living in fear over threats on their lives for relocating the Municipal fire station from Mampong-Akuapem to Akropong, the municipal capital.
The Fire Station was relocated on Friday, April 9, 2021, after over 32 years of operation at Akuapem Mampong.
The relocation of the fire station has however sparked agitation by chiefs and people of Mampong. Some of the youth allegedly issued threats to the fire personnel while some residents reportedly stormed the new Fire Service office at Akropong to question the officers.
The situation has compelled fire officers who feel unsafe to wear mufti to cover up their identity.
This comes after angry chiefs and people of Akuapem Mampong clad in red and black apparel protested Monday against the relocation of the fire station.
Nana Yirenkyi I, the Apasemankahene of the AKuapem Mampong Traditional Council said the council has issued a week ultimatum for the decision to be reversed.
He said Mampong has very sensitive Institutions that require the presence of a fire station for swift intervention in case of a fire outbreak. He threatened the Municipal Chief Executive and Member of Parliament for the area Awuah Sampson Asiedu Larbi and Nana Ama Dokua respectively not to step foot in any event organized in the Mampong township.
The Chief of Akuapem Mampong Osabarima Kwame Ottu Darte III also expressed his disappointment over the decision to relocate the fire station.
However, reacting to the claims of Chiefs and People of Akuapem Mampong, the Presiding Member of Akuapem North, Nana Asiedu Offei, explained that the fire station established in Akuapem in 1978, first relocated from Akropong to Mampong in 1990 due to infrastructural challenges but being brought back because the Akuapem North Municipal Assembly has vacated its old office complex to a new office complex hence allotted the old office complex to the security services and the court to occupy for easy coordination.
“As at now the Security Service including the Fire Service is occupying the old Assembly block as their permanent place. The aim of the Assembly was to keep all the Security Services at a common point for easy accessibility”.
“The Fire Station as it is serves two constituencies namely; Okere Constituency and Akuapem North Constituency and Akropong happen to be at the centre of these two constituencies. Again Fires Service cut across the entire nation to serve the citizenry. Koforidua being the Eastern Regional Capital has only two Fire Tenders but men have been placed at the Regional Hospital and All Nations University to carry out their job,” the Presiding Member said.
He said, “the Assembly being a Municipality has plans to put up Mini Tender Stations at Larteh, Mampong and Adawso to enhance their job”.
Nonetheless, the 39 fire service contingents and their Commander Mary Quarcoo are very excited with their current fire station which has more offices for staff compared to the previous station where many staff stayed under trees due to lack of office space.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Kojo Ansah