Interior Minister urges traditional authorities to enforce anti-bushfire bye-laws

Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak has urged traditional authorities to enact and strictly enforce anti-bushfire bye-laws to avert bushfire outbreaks during the 2026/2027 season. He stressed that preventing bushfires is a shared responsibility and directed Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to bolster their anti-bushfire committees and fire volunteer groups.

This call was made during the launch of the 2026/2027 National Bushfire Prevention Campaign in Atebubu, Bono East Region. The campaign, themed "Bushfire Prevention: A Collective Action for Sustainable Environmental Development and Greener Ghana," aimed to highlight the need for collective efforts to prevent bushfires.

Mubarak emphasized that the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) could not single-handedly combat bushfires and highlighted the role of farmers, hunters, youth groups, and the public in this fight. He advised farmers to be cautious when handling naked fire while preparing their farms for planting. Daniella Mawusi Ntow Sarpong, the Chief Fire Officer of the GNFS, who launched the campaign, echoed Mubarak's sentiments, calling for a collaborative approach to combat bushfires.

She stressed the importance of support from security services, the media, traditional authorities, and the general public to control bushfire outbreaks.

Despite a decrease in fire outbreaks in 2026, with 235 incidents recorded from January to August compared to 631 in the same period of 2025, Ntow Sarpong stressed the need for continued efforts to further reduce these numbers. She thanked GNFS personnel and fire volunteers for their dedication and praised the contributions of President Mahama and Mubarak in resourcing the GNFS.

Nana Owusu Sakyi III, Paramount Chief of the Bassa Traditional Area, urged all, especially farmers and agribusiness enterprises, to support the GNFS in preventing bushfires.