News
Carelessness, negligence cause of increased fire outbreak cases in UWR – GNFS
The Upper West Regional Command of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has attributed the rise in cases of fire outbreaks in the region on the carelessness and negligence of residents and organisations to adhere to fire safety rules.
This, according toUpper West Regional Commander of the GNFS, Assistant Chief Fire Officer II (ACFOII) Isaac Kofi Obosuwas inspite of the numerous door- to – door sensitisation on fire safety by the Command,fire cases this year surpassed the figure for last year.
He said the region recorded a total of 116 fire incidents from January to date alone, as against 106 cases of similar fire outbreaks last year representing a 9.43 percent increment.
ACFO II Obosu further said the situation has led to the loss of property estimated at GH₵1,074,357 whereas the Service was able to salvage an estimate of GH₵1,025,224 items from getting destroyed by fires this year.
“Most of the fire cases recorded this year was as a result of negligence, to fire safety measures by victims, people are throwing garbage, cigarette butts and mishandle of flammable materials anywhere without thinking of the consequences,’’ he said.
The Regional Fire Service Commander was speaking to the Ghanaian Times here yesterday in an exclusive interview on cases of fire outbreaks in the region from last year to date.
“Negligence in fire protection should be taken seriously and avoided at all costs by ensuring regular maintenance and inspection of fire protection systems, we are always on the lookout for some of these things, and what we normally do is to educate the general public in whatever means or form”, he said.
The Upper West Region Fire Commander mentioned carelessness and ignorance while handling electric power appliances were some of the causes of the fires in the region.
‘’We go to the mosques, we go to the churches, lorry parks and markets places to spread the gospel of fire safety but residents and organisations are just reluctant Irrespective of whatever you tell them, they do what they feel is right”, he lamented.
According to ACFO II Obosu, almost all the fire incidents that occurred in the region were preventable if only people adhered to the fire safety protocols.
Fire safety, he said was a shared responsibility and called on the public to cooperate with the Command to carry out its mandate to reduce the occurrences of fire outbreaks in the region.
ACFO II Obosu encouraged various institutions to work with the GNFS when putting up structures to ensure they were fire compliant to prevent fires outbreaks.
He said the Command would continue to create and sustain awareness of the public on fire prevention and safety measures and implored resident to be abreast with all the emergency numbers and also visit the nearest Fire Station within their locality to get their direct emergency numbers.
He has therefore, called on all to join hands with the GNFS and also observe basic safety fire preventive measures to help reduce fire incidents in the region.
FROM RAFIA ABDUL RAZAK WA
Muslims across the country celebrated this year’s Eid-ul-Adha in a colourful and spiritually uplifting atmosphere under the theme, “A Season of Sacrifice, Solidarity and Spiritual Renewal.”
The celebration brought together Muslims from diverse backgrounds in a remarkable display of faith, unity and cultural heritage.
The occasion was marked by special Eid prayers at various designated grounds, the slaughtering of rams in homes for sharing among family members, friends and the less privileged, as well as musical concerts and recreational activities including horse riding.
Leading the celebration was the Chief Imam, Dr Sheikh Osman Sharubutu.
While the national celebration was held at the Black Star Square where President John Dramani Mahama was the Special Guest of Honour, similar gatherings took place at different centres across the capital and other regions of the country.
A visit by The Spectator to some celebration grounds revealed Muslims, both young and old, elegantly dressed in colourful jalabiya and other Islamic attire, reflecting the rich culture and traditions of the Muslim community.
The celebration also portrayed the spirit of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence in the country, as a number of Christians joined their Muslim counterparts to mark the occasion.
Muslim leaders and government officials used the opportunity to call on the faithful to uphold the teachings of the Holy Quran, renew their spiritual commitment and refrain from acts capable of undermining the peace, unity and security of the nation.
They further urged Ghanaians to continue to live in harmony and support one another for national development.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
Dear Obaa Yaa,
During Eid-ul- Adha celebration, I decided to spend the weekend at my boyfriend’s place since we were planning towards our marriage.
To my surprise, what keeps me wide awake, restless and frustrated every single time is that he snores loudly like a generator running on full power, and I genuinely cannot get any rest
At a point, I thought it was just a normal thing, but I have realised it is something he does with ease and doesn’t see anything wrong with it.
When he steps out in the morning, I try to get enough sleep because I may not sleep in the evening.
The most annoying thing is that, he always wants to cuddle me. These two things are a no for me and a red flag.
We are about to get married, what should I do?
Enam, Keta.
Dear Enam,
The snoring and constant cuddling are frustrating, but you don’t have to choose between sleep and closeness.
Start with the snoring: check if it’s worse when he sleeps on his back, cut out alcohol before bed, try nasal strips or a humidifier, and see a doctor if he pauses while breathing.
For quick relief, foam earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones help a lot.
Separate blankets, a bigger bed, or sleeping apart on some nights often makes couples rest well and feel closer overall.
Bring this up before the wedding .Tell him you want to wake up next to him for years to come, but sleep deprivation makes you both miserable.
Test earplugs and side-sleeping this weekend, and if it’s still unbearable, bring in a doctor. Good sleep matters more for your marriage than staying glued together all night.
