Benjamin Kofi Quashie, Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Council of Elders in South Africa, is advocating for the resourcing of the Ghana National Fire Service with modern equipment to enhance their effectiveness in combating the increasing number of fire outbreaks across the country.
Speaking on JoyPrime’s morning show on Monday, Mr. Quashie stressed on the importance of equipping the Fire Service beyond just firefighting.
“They should be properly resourced. Fire Service shouldn’t be limited to quenching fires only; they must be empowered to prevent disasters as well,” he stated.
He acknowledged the growing fire outbreaks, referencing the Kantamanto market fire, which occurred shortly after the NDC assumed power. “We are seeing too many fire outbreaks now, and the new boss of the Fire Service must be properly supported to address these challenges,” he remarked.
Expressing sympathy for the recent victims of market fires in the Ashanti Region, he insisted that the issue should not be politicized. “This is a bread-and-butter issue. The NDC stands with the fire victims. We believe the Fire Service has been under-resourced for too long, and we need to take a serious look at how we handle fire outbreaks,” he emphasized.
“It’s unfortunate. This fire outbreak, it’s not something that we should politicize. It is something that is a bread and butter issue. I think that in this difficult times, the NDC party stands with the fire victims. And I believe that, the call that has come up is for the fire service to be resourced.
“We believe that they have been under-resourced. I’m sure that what happened is just something that is giving us a look into the future and our fight when it comes to fire outbreaks and all of that. It’s a hard reality that we need to work on as a people.”
Benjamin Quashie added, “I think that it is unfortunate that we put politics into these things. These market women are not only people belonging to the NPP. Some belong to the NDC. So this is a national issue that we all need to look at holistically.”
He also weighed in on the reported tension between Fire Service officers and the Ashanti Regional Minister, asserting that leadership requires proactive engagement. “The regional minister asked a simple question: ‘Why did you drive the tankers to the market knowing they had no water?’ That was leadership, not bossiness. He was on the ground, ensuring efforts were being made to put out the fire,” Benjamin Quashie defended.
He further commended President Mahama for his direct involvement, noting that unlike previous administrations, Mahama personally visited affected areas to demonstrate that a president must lead from the front.
“Looking at the importance and severity of the situation, you saw President Mahama himself going there to visit, and that should not be underplayed because this is a president that has a regional minister who was doing everything, but he chose to go there. Just recently we saw a president who indicated that because some people didn’t vote for him, he was not going to them. He was not going to sympathize with them. We’ve grown out of that. We’ve now seen proper leadership. We’ve now seen a leader that have the people at heart.”
Mr. Quashie assured Ghanaians that Mahama’s directive to the Chief of Staff would soon yield results.
“Leadership is what has been restored. And I can tell you that with the directive that the president has given to the Chief of Staff in the coming days, weeks and months, we’ll see how well-resourced the fire service will become.”
Source: Newstitbits.com