Ghana’s industrial bases must create reservoirs to support firefighting – Muntaka

Ghana's Minister of the Interior, Muntaka Mubarak, has called on industries across the country to build water reservoirs to enhance fire prevention and firefighting efforts. In a visit to the site of a recent fire at Duraplast in Accra's Avenor Industrial Area, Muntaka emphasized the importance of water reservoirs due to the susceptibility of factories with combustible materials to fires. The incident occurred early Thursday at the industrial area.

The Minister's visit was accompanied by the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Mr Mahama Ayariga. Together, they toured the affected sections of the Duraplast facility and expressed their condolences to the company's management and staff. Accra possesses two significant industrial hubs: the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Industrial Area and Tema, which house numerous factories involved in various industrial activities.

Muntaka revealed that the Ministry plans to facilitate the construction of boreholes in industrial regions to ensure a dependable water supply for firefighting. Additionally, the Government intends to introduce the Automatic Fire Compliance and Safety System (AFCSS) to monitor industrial fire safety systems. Muntaka expressed concerns over institutional and regulatory shortcomings in Ghana's fire prevention framework and highlighted the need for cohesive regulations and inspections to prevent fire outbreaks.

Mr Ayariga attributed many fire incidents to systemic failures, particularly the absence of effective zoning systems in Accra, which led to the mingling of commercial, industrial, and informal trading activities. He stressed the importance of zoning for fire prevention and emergency response efforts and pledged to collaborate with Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to address the issue.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Rashid Nisawu, the Greater Accra Regional Commander of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), emphasized the necessity for industries to collaborate with the fire service during facility planning and establishment. He also explained that foam concentrate, mixed with water, is crucial for extinguishing fires involving flammable materials such as plastics and hydrocarbons.