Tema, Aug 22, GNA- The Tema Regional Fire Service, assisted by the Police, on Wednesday closed down three companies operating without fire certificates in the Municipality.

The affected companies were the Ghana Aluminium Products Limited (GHANAL), INDGHA Packaging Industries and TOTAL Mr Paul Tamakloe, Regional Fire Officer who led the two-day enforcement exercise, told the management of the three companies that their closures was to ensure compliance with the Fire Precaution (Premises) Regulations, 2003, Legislative Instrument (LI) 1724. A fourth company, Maersk Ghana Limited, which indicated that it was in the process of acquiring a certificate, was however, given a one-week ultimatum, or have it closed down.

When the operations team visited the Ghana Cement Works Limited (GHACEM), the story there was different, because the company had acquired a fire certificate.

Mr Morten Gade, Managing Director of GHACEM, told the team that by obtaining the certificate, the company was being alive to its civic responsibility of taking precautionary measures to prevent accidents. Mr Gade assured the team that GHACEM would live up to all its social obligations as long as it continued to operate in the municipality. The LI requires premises such as public residential accommodations, factories, shops, offices, banks, cafes, hospitals, orphanages, remand homes, community homes, mental health clinics and others, to obtain fire certificates to ensure accepted fire safety measures. 22 Aug 07