The Ashanti Regional Ghana Fire Service Command has recorded about three separate mob attacks on its personnel and fire appliances at Konongo, Mamponteng and Ejisu in the first quarter of 2025.
ACFOII Peter Tetteh, the Ashanti Regional Fire Commander, disclosed this at the International Fire Fighters Day on Monday May 5, 2025 at the Regional Headquarters.
According to him, there were about nine attacks on their fire fighters within the region in 2024 alone, and noted that those involved in the criminal acts are not the victims of the fires but rather the lawless, undisciplined criminals.
He lamented that through their acts, innocent and vulnerable victims of fires who needed the services of the fire fighters were denied, leading to loss of properties and lives.
He said most of the public do not understand the technicalities in fire management, as the Ejisu Fire appliance dispatched to Konongo is almost 40km away only to get there to be attacked for coming late.
He argued that fire Service does not cause any incident, but are called in to render service in terms of the management of those incidents and asked why they vent their anger on fire-fighters, disrupting or even preventing them from carrying out their legitimate functions.
ACFOII Tetteh made a passionate appeal to the public to understand and support them to execute their mandate of saving life and property.
He disclosed that fire-fighters when entering the hot zone from the cold through the warm zone are full of uncertainties, but are committed and motivated with confidence.
He said they also take consolation in the concluding part of the fireman’s prayer after promising to give out his best to guard every neighbour and protect properties.
ACFOII Peter Tetteh paid tribute to the late DOII Ebenezer Sedor, ADOII Joseph Baidoo, DOII Hannah Yawson, SUBO Isaac Newton and RFM Ebenezer Boakye, who died in the line of duty.
Dr Frank Amoakohene, the Ashanti Regional Minister at the event, commended the Ashanti Regional Fire Service for their commitment to protect lives and properties at all times.
He said their work is for the development of Ghana and the region, adding that the government was committed to ensure the proper way of handling explosives by individuals.
According to him, there was a loss of about GH¢200 million in the Konongo explosion, while GH¢916,000,000 lost in the Blue light fire incident.
He assured that service equipment and cars as well as logistics for the Fire service would be rehabilitated to facilitate their operations.
He disclosed that the government was planning to get new fire tenders for the Fire Service and urged those putting up building shops, stores and structures on fire hydrants in the city to immediately desist from the practice.
He expressed the need to drill mechanized boreholes at strategic areas to support their work in terms of fire fighting and prevention.
He expressed worry over the attacking and assault and damage caused to fire tenders, “because one is not happy with the approach of an incident”, and assured protection of personnel by the government.
The Minister disclosed that the government, through the Youth Employment Authority (YEA) was partnering to recruit about 5,000 youth to assist the fire fighters, and urged the Ghana Fire Service to design a very good module to complement the work they are doing in order not to compete with personnel, but to provide information before fire outbreaks.
Dr. Amoakohene suggested the establishment of a Standing Taskforce (Inter-sectorial team) by the security agencies and services to help identify risk elements in the outbreak of fire or criminal activities looming and to help respond appropriately to protect the region and the country as a whole.
