Nadowli, Dec 8, GNA - The Nadowli District Assembly has this year allocated 100 million cedis to all collaborative agencies to fight bushfires and organise anti-bushfire campaigns in all the communities of the district.

The assembly has also initiated a monitoring programme to award communities that protect their environment from bushfires and other adverse conditions.

Mrs. Pauline Ningkpeng, Nadowli District Chief Executive, said this at Nadowli on Monday during the regional launch of anti-bush campaign.

She said these measures have been taken to break the vicious cycle of poverty among the people and to protect lives and property that annually fall prey to bushfires.

Mrs Ningkpeng appealed to other district assemblies to inaugurate such committees to enable them to fight the bushfires.

"I am also calling on our chiefs and elders, opinion leaders, Tindaamas, non-governmental organisations and all area councils to get involved in the fight against bushfires forever."

Mr Sahanun Mogtari, the Upper West Regional Minister, said the government, through its re-forestation programme, had purchased fruit species and distributed them for transplanting in the three northern regions.

He said group hunting in the region is still banned and any group of persons or individual caught in bush burning would be made to face the full rigours of the law.

Mr Ernest Atoku Aklamah, Regional Commander of Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), said between 2000 and October 2003 GNFS responded to 53 bushfires, 93 domestic and commercial fires which caused damage amounting to about 137 million cedis.

He appealed to district assemblies and non-governmental organisations to assist the service to train more rural volunteers and organise seminars and workshops for the educated people to enlighten the rural dwellers.