Mankessim (C/R) Nov. 24, GNA - One hundred and twenty-two bushfire outbreaks causing damage to property estimated at about 8 billion cedis have been recorded in the country from November last year to November this year.

Within the same period, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) trained 1,851 fire volunteers throughout the country. Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister for the Interior in an address read by Mrs Naana Amprah-Twum Chief Director of the Ministry, announced at the launch of 2006-2007 bushfire prevention campaign at Mankessim on Wednesday.

The theme for the launch was: "Prevent Bushfires for Sustainable Economic Development".

Mr Kan-Dapaah stated that the fire volunteer concept had so far proven the world over as the most effective way of dealing with fire disasters and appealed to metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to support the concept since fires had no boundaries. He said it was estimated that every year bushfires alone cost the country 210 million US Dollars, an equivalent of about three percent of our national Gross Domestic Product.

=93It has come to a time when we must recognize that bush fire prevention needs a multi-sectoral approach in order to deal with it effectively,=94 the Minister noted.

In a speech read on his behalf, Prof Dominic Fobih, Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines announced that his ministry would launch a National Wild Fire Management Policy for the country on December 12, 2006.

He said the policy sought to address issues on wild fires in a more comprehensive and multi-sectoral manner and appealed to all stakeholders to embrace it as a development for sustainable resource management. Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, Minister of Local Government Rural Development and Environment said the fast drift of the Sahara Desert southwards enjoined Ghanaians to pay serious attention to prevention of bushfires, which posed threat to desertification. The Minister attributed the erratic rainfall pattern and the hot weather being experienced of late in the country to mismanagement of the environment and called for a concerted effort to turn the tide. Nana Ato Arthur, Central Regional Minister in a welcoming address said 183 fire outbreaks were recorded in the Region from January to October this year, resulting in eight deaths and causing injuries to 46 persons.

He said financial loss caused by such fires stood at 917.3 million cedis. Prizes were distributed to deserving fire volunteers. Mfantseman District was adjudged the best bushfire-preventing district for the second time in succession.