Interior Minister calls for stricter enforcement of anti-bushfire laws
The Minister of the Interior, Muntaka Mubarak, has called on traditional authorities to enact and strictly enforce anti-bushfire bye-laws in their respective communities to prevent bushfire outbreaks during the 2026/2027 season. He emphasised that preventing bushfires remained a collective responsibility and directed the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to…
The Interior Minister, Muntaka Mubarak, has urged traditional leaders to implement and rigorously enforce anti-bushfire regulations within their communities to thwart bushfire occurrences during the upcoming 2026/2027 season. He stressed that averting bushfires is a collective endeavor and instructed Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to bolster their anti-bushfire committees and volunteer firefighter units.
Mubarak made this appeal in a speech delivered by Bono East Regional Minister Francis Owusu Antwi at the inauguration of the 2026/2027 National Bushfire Prevention Campaign in Atebubu, Bono East Region. The campaign bears the slogan: “Bushfire Prevention: A Collective Action for Sustainable Environmental Development and Greener Ghana.”
Mubarak underscored that the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) cannot single-handedly combat bushfires, asserting that a collaborative effort from farmers, hunters, youth organizations, and the general populace is indispensable. He warned farmers to be vigilant while using open flames while tilling their fields for planting. Daniella Mawusi Ntow Sarpong, the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) of the GNFS, who inaugurated the campaign, also advocated for a united front against bushfires.
She stressed that the GNFS needs assistance from the security forces, media, traditional leaders, and the public to curb bushfire incursions in Ghana. CFO Ntow Sarpong noted that although the number of fire incidents nationwide dropped from 631 in January to August 2025 to 235 in the same period of 2026, there is a need for intensified efforts to minimize these numbers further.
She praised the dedication of GNFS personnel and volunteer fire fighters in battling fire outbreaks across the nation. CFO Ntow Sarpong also honored the contributions of President John Dramani Mahama and Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak in bolstering the GNFS to carry out its duties. Nana Owusu Sakyi III, Paramount Chief of the Bassa Traditional Area and President of the Bono East Regional House of Chiefs, advised constituents, especially farmers and agribusinesses, to aid the GNFS in bushfire prevention.
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