General News of Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Source: GNA

Government urged to give adequate remuneration to fire volunteers

Nkoranza (B/A), Jan. 19, GNA - Mr Jones Tommy Smart, Nkoranza South District Coordinator of the National Youth Employment

Programme (NYEP), has called for adequate remuneration for community fire volunteers to motivate them to protect the environment. He said if government provided monthly allowances for the volunteers, they would be motivated enough to carry out their activities effectively and to the satisfaction of society. Mr Smart made the call when he interacted with the President of the Environmentally Concerned Citizens Association of Ghana, Mr

Joseph Yaw Aidoo at Nkoranza in the Brong Ahafo Region. He cited Zoom Lion Company as an example and said the workers put off their best and remained committed to the discharge of their

duties because they receive adequate remuneration. Mr Smart, therefore, advised district assemblies to arrange special incentive packages for the volunteers indicating that the provision of

items such as Wellington boots, cutlasses and uniforms would encourage them to render dedicated services. The NYEP Coordinator commended fire volunteers for their selfless services and appealed to assembly members and traditional

authorities to support them. Mr Aidoo noted that bushfires are man-made disasters that could be avoided if people handled fire with care. He said protecting the environment is a shared responsibility and urged Ghanaians to be wary of how they handled naked fires.