General News of Sunday, 11 August 2013

Source: joyonline

Parliament demands report on recent fire outbreaks

The Parliamentary Select Committee on Defense and Interior says it is unhappy with delays by the Ghana National Fire Service to submit a comprehensive report on fire outbreaks in the country.

Chairman of the Committee, George Arthur is worried that the Fire Service has delayed in submitting a report on fires across the country.

2,201 fires have been recorded across the country in the first quarter of this year alone, with the Greater Accra coming in second to the Bono Ahafo region which recorded the highest fires in the country and the Ashanti region having the third highest.

But according to Mr. George Arthur, the Fire Service has attributed the delay to its inability to establish the causes of the fires.

Speaking to Joy News after the committee met with heads of the various security agencies in Accra, Mr. Arthur said "the report is long overdue" and urged the Fire Service to "do their best to submit a comprehensive report" on fire outbreaks in the country.

He said this will enable them propose and adopt a detailed plan to curb their occurrence.

"The security of the nation is our concern; the report will let the committee know if the Fire Service has performed their functions effectively, whether the outbreak was the cause of negligence of somebody or whether it is an arson or whatever. That is the reason why the Committee wants the report," he elucidated.

Meanwhile, the committee has approved a bill proposed to turn the National Disaster Management Organization from an organization into a service.

This will empower the Service to among others, demolish unauthorised structures, particularly those on water ways.