Fire combat needs multi-sector approach-Minister

Sekondi, Jan.20, GNA - The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Ms Betty Bosomtwi-Sam, on Thursday called for multi-sector approach in combating bushfires, domestic and industrial fire outbreaks. "It has come to a time when we must recognize that fire prevention needs a multi-sector approach in order to deal with it effectively", she said.

Ms Bosomtwi-Sam said this at a Regional Anti-Bush Prevention seminar for fire volunteers, personnel from the Service, officials from the Benso Oil Palm Plantation and Ghana Rubber Estate Limited organized by the Ghana National Fire Service at Sekondi.

It was held on the theme "Bushfire Prevention: A tool for protecting our environment for a better Ghana". She said there was the need for all stakeholders and related agencies to put their resources together to deal with incidence of bushfire in the country.

Ms Bosomtwi-Sam said bushfire costs the country $210 million annually which is equivalent to 03 per cent of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The Western Regional Commander of the Ghana National Fire Service, Mr Stephen Oscar Cobbina, said the seminar would enable stakeholders brainstorm and come out with strategies that would help mitigate the perennial bushfire outbreaks that mostly destroy life, property, farm produce, animal stock and the environment.

He said the emphasis on bushfire prevention over the years had revolved around training of fire volunteers and other stakeholders. Mr Cobbina appealed to all metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to support the fire volunteers who had assisted the personnel of the Fire Service over the years in fire combat operations.