The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Young Executive School (YES) in Kasoa in the Central Region, Francis Essel-Okyeahene, has presented an undisclosed amount of money to the Awutu Senya East Municipal Fire Station for the repair of a broken down fire tender.
Mr Essel-Okyeahene called on individuals, as well as corporate institutions to support the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) by assisting to maintain and repair vehicles that were faulty and also adhere to all the fire safety measures to prevent outbreak of fires.
“Yes, the fire service is a government institution, but I believe we can also help it to deliver efficiently for our own benefit. Fire prevention is a collective responsibility, so let us help in whatever way possible to prevent fire disasters,” he stated as he did the presentation.
He said there was the need for all Ghanaians to adopt preventive measures to avoid fire outbreaks and not wait until something happened before running to the fire service.
Mr Essel-Okyeahene, who is also the Vice President of the West Africa Union of Tax Institute (WAUTI), noted that Ghanaians knew very well the disastrous consequences of fire and thus the need to be proactive in the fight against outbreaks.
Repair
Touching on what informed the support for the repair of the broken down fire tender, he said he had heard of the state of the vehicle and was approached to assist to help it get back on the road, so as to help beef up the fleet of vehicles in the municipality to fight fire outbreaks.
Subsequently, he said an assessment of the fault was done, after which the bill was brought to get it repaired.
Assistant Division Officer in charge of Fire Safety of the GNFS, Gregory Joseph Martin, who received the money, commended Mr Essel-Okyeahene and urged other well-to-do individuals and corporate bodies to emulate his example.
Appeal
“We also appeal to other individuals and corporate bodies to come to our aid so that the fire service can work effectively in the municipality,” he said, adding that what the service aimed at doing was to ensure that the municipality was fire free.
He said although the fire tender was faulty, it did not prevent members of the service from undertaking sensitisation programmes in churches and markets, among other institutions.
“Our core mandate is to make Kasoa fire free and we are determined to do that,” he said.