Officer calls for concerted efforts to control bushfires
Officer calls for concerted efforts to control bushfires
31 March 2011
published by www.businessghana.com
Ghana — Mr. Alfred Attah-Yeboah, Brong-Ahafo Regional Principal Disaster Control Officer, has called on the Forestry Department, Ghana Police Service and Ghana Fire Service to collaborate with anti-bush fire committees to combat bushfires in the region.
He appealed to Assembly Members, traditional authorities, Unit Committees, religious leaders and teachers to assist in the education campaign on bushfires to protect the environment.
Mr. Attah-Yeboah was addressing members of the Nkoranza South District Anti-Bushfire Committee at Nkoranza as part of the monitoring exercise being conducted by the Regional Anti Bush-fire Task Force.
He expressed concern about how bush fires had become an annual canker in the region in spite of education campaigns and called for collaborative efforts of all stakeholders in fighting the menace.
Mr. Attah-Yeboah appealed to officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to team up with personnel of the Information Service Department and National Commission for Civic Education in the campaign on bushfires.
Mr. Tarm Sackey, Brong-Ahafo Rural Fire Coordinator, commended the local fire volunteers for their selfless and dedicated services and urged them to continue with their activities to save lives and property.
He called on Assemblies to make some budget allocations and arrange for incentive packages for fire volunteers to boost their morale.
In a welcoming address the Nkoranza South District Coordinator of NADMO, Mr. Evans Osei-Worae, said communities such as Ayerede, Nyamebekyere, Ahyiayem, Dandwa, Bredi Number One and Akumsa-Domase fell victim to bushfires during the dry season.
Mr. Osei-Worae deplored the activities of some youth who engaged in group hunting every year and blamed them for causing bushfires in the area.
Nana Takyi Baffo, Odikro of Tom, near Nkoranza who is a member of the District Anti-Bush Fire Committee, re-echoed the need for the engagement of military personnel in the anti-bush fire campaign, stressing the presence of the soldiers could instill fear in the youth and stop them from the negative practice.
