Adum Fire: 'Shouting Doesn't Extinguish Fires' - GNFS Defends Efforts After Minister's Criticism
Accra, Ghana - 23 March, 2025 - A war of words has erupted between the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, following a devastating fire outbreak in Kumasi.
The fire, which ravaged a commercial building near the Adum Central Market on Friday, March 21, left traders counting their losses.
Dr. Amoakohene's anger boiled over during his tour of the damaged area, where he spotted a fire truck that appeared to be out of commission, prompting him to voice his discontent stating, “If there is no water in the tender, what is it doing here? If you have any challenge, why don’t you tell me immediately?”
However, the GNFS has defended its efforts, stating that the challenges faced by firefighters cannot be resolved by mere outbursts.
According to Alex King Nartey, Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, the minister's concerns are not new, and the service has been working to address them. King Nartey pointed out that the minister had previously assured the service of his support in fixing a fire tender at the Metro Station, but that promise remains unfulfilled.
“Action is not by shouting or creating a public spectacle. This is a minister who is well aware of our challenges as a service. Even as of March 6, when our officers engaged him during a cleaning exercise, he assured them he would help fix our fire tender at our Metro Station. That promise is yet to be fulfilled,” King Nartey said in an interview with GHOne TV.
He emphasized that fighting fires requires adequate resources, not just verbal reprimands. Nartey cited its successful response to a fire outbreak at Kantamanto, where firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze despite challenges.
“We didn’t have this kind of scene at Kantamanto yet we were able to extinguish the fire. Shouting does not fight fires or extinguish fires,” he added.
Source: Lead News Online
