Ashaiman, Sept 16, GNA - Residents of Ashaiman Municipality have been cautioned against obstructing National Fire Service personnel from discharging their duty during fire outbreaks. Some residents at Ashaiman had on a number of occasions vandalized fire equipment and pelted personnel with stones, reasoning that fire personnel either arrived late or went to the scene without water. The fire station at Ashaiman depends on the fire tenders of the Tema Regional Station and the industrial area station as its tender and those of Ada and Dodowa stations are not functioning. The Municipal Chief Executive of Ashaiman, Mr Albert Boakye Okyere, said perpetrators would be dealt with to serve as a deterrent to others. "Any member of the community who by any way impedes the Fire Service from discharging its duties in the municipality would be brought to book", he said. Mr Okyere said this during a Fire Open Day at Ashaiman to strengthen relationship between the community and the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS).

The day was organized by the service in collaboration with the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly (ASHMA) to sensitize the public on other functions of the service which included rescue operations. Mr Okyere appealed to residents and cooperate bodies in the municipality to observe fire safety practices. The Tema Regional Fire Officer, Mr Kwabena Taah Korang, said that fire safety was of great importance to the Tema metropolis and the Ashaiman municipality due to their huge commercial and industrial investments.