The Obuasi municipality in the Ashanti region will soon be provided with fire tenders that will help in fighting fire outbreaks in the area.
Speaking to Joy News Tuesday, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer in-charge-of-operations, Mr. Albert Brown Gaisie said the National Fire Service is taking delivery of some 500 fire tenders out of which the Obuasi municipality will benefit.
According to him, the fire tenders have started arriving and about 20 of them are on the high seas and that in three months, the Obuasi fire station will be provided with fire tenders.
“Obuasi will be prioritized [and will be provided fire tenders] in the shortest possible time”, Mr. Brown Gaisie assured.
The Deputy Chief Fire Officer’s reaction followed reports that the mining town of Obuasi is sitting on a time bomb since the fire station has been without fire tender to fight fire outbreaks in the municipality for over a year now.
The situation has left residents of the mining town agitated as they would have to fight fire outbreaks on their own, until the Obuasi fire station gets a fire tender.
Several properties have been destroyed in various fire outbreaks in the municipality and it is feared more fire outbreaks are likely to occur and they would not be able to fight them in the face of unavailable fire tender to rescue such occurrences.
Victims of fire incidents in the town accuse the security agency of inaction each time there is a fire outbreak.
Luv FM’s Kwabena Ampratwum reported that the golden city of the Ashanti Region, Obuasi, after years of mining activities, road infrastructure and other facilities are either not available or they are in deplorable states.
Mr. Edward Opoku, Obuasi Municipal Fire Commander said the assembly has to depend on the fire brigade of the Anglo-Gold Ashanti and other fire stations in other jurisdictions in case of any fire incident.
According to him, letters have been written to various stakeholders, the National Fire Service and the Municipal Chief Executive of the area and complained about the situation but was informed that there is no funds available to get some tenders now.
Speaking to Joy News, the Ashanti Regional Fire Officer, Arhin Mensah says the Obuasi fire tender has been repaired several times but keeps breaking down because it has become obsolete.
Mr. Arhin Mensah observed that there is a working relationship with private fire fighting units in the area but added the municipal assembly would have to discuss with management of the facility to assist in times of need.
“The assembly would have to discuss it with the management so that whenever a distress call is given them, they will move [immediately] without having to consult their bosses,” the Ashanti Regional Fire Officer stressed.
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