The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) Commander for the Central Region, ACFOII Merinda Mary Attigah-Mensah has shared worries over the poor state to which the Service's fire hydrates across the Region have been subjected to through human activities.

According to her, like most fire hydrants situated at various markets places in the country, that of the Central Region is no excuse, as access routes to most of these hydrates are presently inaccessible.

She narrated that even the few ones whose access routes appear motorable have been rendered good-for-nothing with building structures mounted on them.

ACFOII Merinda Mary Attigah-Mensah disclosed this in an interview with Sompa News Eric Annan following a late night market surveillance carried out on the state and safety of the Abura and Kotokuraba markets in Cape Coast on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.

The inspection recently carried out on market centers at Kasoa, Mankessim, Winneba and Assin Fosu, aligns with the Service's proactive measures mapped up to prevent the Central Region from recording any market fires as witnessed at various market centers in the country recently.

In safeguarding the GNFS's fire hydrants at market centers in the Region, barring any unforeseen circumstance, the Regional Fire Commander appealed on the Town and Country Planning Department to help the Fire Service to detect all its fire hydrants, especially those that have presently been made inactive with structures built on them.

She further implored District Assemblies in the Region to help collaborate with the GNFS in the evacuation of traders who are often spotted trading on the shoulders of market routes to help facilitate easy accessibility to market centers in the Region in case of any emergency for their response not to be delayed. 

On personal measures required to ensure that the Central Region is free from market fires, ACFOII Attigah-Mensah advised market women in the Region to desist from cooking at market centers and also be mindful to switch off and plung out all sockets after use, should in case any intermittent power fluctuations occur.

With bushfires mainly dominating the Region's fire incidents recorded for the year, the Regional Fire Commander revealed the Region to have recorded 90 bushfires in January, 89 in February and 78 fires recorded in the month of March, totaling some 257 bushfires recorded only in the first quarter of 2025. 

Some traders and residents of Cape Coast on the constant visibility exercise carried on public and market centers in the Region by the GNFS with assistance from the police, commended the Region's Fire Service Command and called on government to resource personnel of the GNFS with the needed support and assistance to feel motivated and give their all to safeguard lives and properties in the Region.

Sompaonline.com/Eric Annan