Features
Annual Fire Ritual at Dagomba Line and Other Fire-Prone Areas
Sometimes one begins to wonder whether there is any hope for the future of this country called Ghana. Fire outbreaks at particular locations have become an annual ritual, raising the troubling question: can nothing be done to prevent the recurrence of these disasters?
There is an Akan proverb which says that it is only a fool who will allow his delicate part to be stepped on twice. Unfortunately, it appears those at the helm of affairs are either unaware of this proverb or unwilling to act on its wisdom.
Fire disasters occur, investigations are announced, and that is the end of the matter. If lessons were genuinely learnt, concrete measures would have been put in place to prevent the same incidents from recurring year after year.
Places such as Dagomba Line in Kumasi, Red Flats at Adenta, Kantamanto and several other locations are well known fire-disaster-prone areas. As a nation, we must put an end to this dangerous annual ritual.
The social cost of these fire disasters is enormous, aside from the financial losses suffered by property owners. A recent television interview showed clear despondency on the faces of victims of one such disaster.
One victim revealed that all his belongings had been consumed by the fire, leaving him with only the clothes he was wearing. The trauma these victims endure is no small matter and should concern every well-meaning citizen.
The state has a responsibility to protect vulnerable citizens, and everything must be done to find a permanent solution to this recurring menace. We cannot continue to throw our hands up in despair as though we lack the capacity to resolve these issues as a nation. When lives are lost alongside property, the trauma becomes unbearable and can easily push victims into mental distress.
Proactive preventive measures are urgently required to nip these fire disasters in the bud. Several weaknesses within our fire prevention architecture must be addressed without delay.
Recently, the Ghana National Fire Service complained about fire hydrant points being rendered inoperative by individuals who have built structures on them. This severely limits the ability of firefighters to combat fires effectively in certain communities.
Local assemblies must act decisively by enforcing compliance, demolishing illegal structures built on fire hydrant points and punishing offenders. Such actions will significantly enhance firefighting efforts when outbreaks occur.
The Fire Service must also liaise with local assemblies to identify and establish additional hydrant points as population growth and urban development continue, ensuring that response distances remain manageable during emergencies.
The disturbing rise in attacks on fire personnel is another worrying trend. Law enforcement agencies must support firefighters to enable them to carry out their lawful duties safely whenever they are called into action.
Public education on the role of firefighters and the challenges they face is equally essential. Citizens must see them as lifesavers, not villains who deliberately delay response efforts to allow property to be destroyed.
Furthermore, recommendations from previous fire incident investigations must be fully implemented to prevent a repetition of the same disasters.
The issue of haphazard construction without proper access routes for emergency vehicles must also be treated with urgency. Fire tenders must be able to get close enough to the source of a blaze to extinguish it effectively, and this responsibility lies squarely with local assemblies and planning authorities.
NB: Change Kotoka International Airport to Kofi Baako International Airport.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
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THE typical itinerant salesman in Sikaman is a herbalist. He is normally a slim macho with the capacity to perambulate the expanse of area covering the triangle of Accra-Tema-Ashiaman. In short, he can walk a total of 60 miles a day, marketing a product that cures every disease, including poverty. 
The door-to-door herbal pharmacist advertises his product by word of mouth. He has nothing to do with the Food and Drugs Board (FDB). After all, his concoctions do not feature on FM stations.
Those herbalists who cannot walk to propagate the herbal gospel, liaise with drivers of mass transportation and their mates. They are, therefore, given the chance to sell their products on Benz buses that ply the routes.
Normally, the herbalist starts his sales message with a prayer and Bible study. He asks the passengers to bow down their heads in supplication to God the father, the son, the Holy Spirit.
When a herbalist asks the passengers to close their eyes and bow their heads, Moslems on board naturally feel offended. They feel that the herbalist has no right to assume that every passenger is a Christian. They think such an assumption is an affront to Islam.
So a Moslem on board will raise the hand for a point of order. He’ll remind the herbalist that it would be in his own interest to mind his language.
“Be careful the way you address people in a public place. Not every person here is a Christian,” he’d state assertively.
Of course, the herbalist will promptly ignore him, but would all the same “watch” his tongue. Who knows whether or not the Moslem brother is inspired by Quoranic zeal to defend the tenets of Islam to the hilt?
When he starts saying, “Wallahi!” and “Inshallah!” it could be the beginning of proclaiming Islam as supreme, a point which must be driven home with talibanic precision.
So the herbalist must tread carefully lest he steps on fire.
The herbalist could even add a measure of mirth to it all, by announcing that Christians on board today have very interesting company on the journey, but that should not detract from the business of the day.
The Moslem brother will weigh the words carefully and offer a wry smile.
He must be careful the occasion does not degenerate into the use of semantics and proverbial oration to deride his conviction that public utterances must be mindful of religious sensibilities. He has made his point very clear and expects that it is taken in good faith in the interest of a peaceful journey.
The herbalist will now open the New Testament and preach salvation, stating clearly that salvation can come only through Jesus Christ and NOBODY else.
The Moslem brother will now start twitching his moustache. The visible and almost revolutionary reflexes of his upper lip can be an indication that sentiments have begun superseding reason, and the outcome could well be tragic now shift uneasily in his seat.
The time has come for him to also express his right to the religion of his fore-bears. He’ll put his hand into his pocket and rise to his feet. The time has indeed come!
This article was first published on Saturday, September 9, 2006
When the cause of a particular problem like sickness, disease, sudden illness, a social issue etc. are not known, it stands to reason that resolving it becomes a huge challenge.
Citizens would understand the government when public announcements are made to the effect that government is trying to find a solution to the issue, even though it is taking a while for it to be resolved because citizens are rational beings.
On the other hand, if the solution to a particular issue is known to everybody but the government for whatever reason, is dragging its feet in resolving it, citizens become frustrated and begin to lose trust in their leaders.
One such issue is the heavy traffic along a section of the Kasoa – Odokor road. A short stretch of bad road between the traffic light at the Weija Government Hospital and the entrance to the entrance of the overhead that leads to the N1, is the cause of the problem but nothing is being done about it, day after day, week after week, month after month. Thus is clearly unacceptable.
Another issue that requires urgent attention is the lack of pavements along a lot of streets in parts of the various Municipal Assemblies. Exercise is a prerequisite for long life and healthy living and for those of us who it has become a way of life, this issue of people putting up structures right to the edge of the drains beside the roads, are making life difficult for us.
We are compelled to walk along the roads, putting our lives at serious risk. Pedestrians should never be compelled to compete with vehicles on our streets and roads. Roads and streets are made for vehicles and pavements are made for pedestrians. That is the norm. Any attempt to normalise a situation where pedestrians are mingling with vehicles is insanity.
It is the road regulations that makes it so and therefore district or municipal assemblies are to take responsibility and ensure that spaces for pavements are not encroached upon. Citizens have rights that must be protected by their leaders and making pavements available to pedestrians, is one of them.
When we hear of teachers having sex with students, it appears it is something recent. It is not a new phenomenon. It has been there since Adam. Perhaps this issue is getting much attention due to the proliferation of social media. It was an open secret in times past when Teachers were in relationships with female students and some married them immediately after completion of school.
Some teachers were also known to be having unholy interactions with female pupils but due to the times that these acts occurred, human rights issues and the awareness around it, allowed such unscrupulous teachers to get away with their crimes.
Now we are in a different era and so a Headmaster is now in hot waters. He is alleged to have raped about 19 female students and as usual, some officials tried to cover it up and are also in hot waters and their actions or inactions in the matter are under investigation.
Why the man has been allowed to roam freely without being arrested is simply mind boggling. It appears that the law applies differently, depending on who you are. This issue came to public attention sometime in August this year, yet the police had not arrested or invited this man for question regarding the rape allegation.
It has come out that he is a Constituency Secretary of the ruling party and the question in the public domain is that, is it because he is a political figure that is why he is still walking around without questioning? I believe in the rule of law so let us hold our breadth and let the proper thing be done.
The police must however be seen to be active in this matter. God bless.
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