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Upper West Fire Service records high incidents institutional fires in first quarter
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in the Upper West Region recorded nine incidents of institutional fires from January to March, this year. The figure exceeded the three incidents recorded for the same period last year.
The nine incidents involved mostly second-cycle institutions in the region such as the Wa Technical Senior High School in the Wa Municipality as well as the Eremon and Lawra Senior High Schools in the Lawra Municipal.
The figure was presented to the Ghanaian Times at Wa on Monday by the GNFS in the region with a passionate appeal from the Regional Commander, Assistant Chief Fire Officer Grade One (ACFO I) Henry Asiedu for institutions in the region to adhere to fire safety precaution to prevent future accidents.
He intimated that fire audits were conducted in the affected schools and reports that contained recommendations were drafted and shared with the schools and other stakeholders in the region to guide adherence to fire safety principles.
He was worried that some of the institutions in the region did not have fire extinguishers to use in cases of emergencies and those who had them had not serviced them in years and hence were unable to make use of them in instances of fire.
On the whole, fire incidents reduced from 86 in the first quarter of last year to 74 this year and the regional commander was hoping to further beat down the numbers through proactive measures such as education and sensitisation of the public to fire prevention and fire safety.
“Contrary to popular assertion that the fire service delayed when called to duty, personnel of the GNFS are committed to their work and would not jeopardize anyone’s safety; however, the problem sometimes has to do with the brief distress call we receive which does not give a specific indication of the place of incident and we have to waste time calling back or trying to identify the exact location, among other challenges”, he added.
He debunked the assertion that personnel sometimes went to fire scenes with empty trucks and said no trained personnel would move an empty truck to a scene and further explained that the issue was sometimes about the unavailability of fire hydrants at vantage points for a refill when they had exhausted the water in the truck and had to go back to the station for more.
For his part, the Regional Staff Officer, Divisional Officer III, Alexis Kodi Suonyiri appealed to the public to support the work of the service and also take their safety seriously by ensuring that the structures they put up were safe enough for use.
DOIII Suonyiri intimated that domestic fires were reduced from 39 to 32 and said the figure could be further reduced if people put safety first when constructing their buildings by including fire safety gadgets and emergency exits.
FROM LYDIA DARLINGTON FORDJOUR, WA
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, together with members of the Police Management Board (POMAB), on April 17, 2026, decorated nineteen (19) senior officers who have been promoted to their next ranks based on the recommendations of the Police Council and approval of the President, John Dramani Mahama.
The ceremony, held at the National Police Headquarters in Accra, forms part of efforts to recognise merit, dedication, and long-standing service within the Ghana Police Service, while strengthening leadership across key operational and administrative levels.
The officers promoted from Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) to Commissioner of Police (COP) are Dr. Luke Asue-In-Yeng Zakpaa, Mr. Frederick Agyei, Mr. Duuti Tuaruka, Mr. Arthur Osei-Akoto, Mr. Darko Offei Lomotey, Mr. Eric Ken Winful, Mr. Barnabas Nambont Nasumong, and Mr. Desmond Owusu Boampong.
The IGP and members of POMAB congratulated the officers and urged them to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in the discharge of their duties.
The Global Network of Export-Import Banks and Development Finance Institutions (G-NEXID) successfully held its sixth (6th) Exchange Programme, hosted by the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) Bank in Accra from March 22 to 23 March.
The event brought together member institutions, partner organisations and Ghanaian public entities to advance dialogue on South-South trade, investment and development finance, while also creating opportunities for knowledge-sharing and institutional cooperation.
Organised as a capacity-building and networking platform, the 2026 edition of the G-NEXID Exchange focused on GEXIM’s experience in developing innovative solutions to promote intra-African and extra-African trade.
It also highlighted trade and investment opportunities in Ghana, particularly in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and broader national development initiatives.
The Exchange Programme forms part of G-NEXID’s mandate to foster cooperation among export-import banks and development finance institutions in support of South-South trade and investment.
This 6th edition follows earlier successful programmes hosted by India Exim Bank (2016), BNDES (2017), Indonesia Eximbank (2018), Afreximbank (2019) and Saudi EXIM Bank (2025).
On the first day, participants were presented with G-NEXID institutional information and received an update on the Network’s 2026 work programme.
There were a series of substantive presentations, including an overview of the Ghanaian economy by the Ministry of Finance, with particular attention to debt-related challenges; a presentation by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), on investment opportunities in the country; and institutional presentations by GEXIM and Development Bank Ghana (DBG) on their respective mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Discussions during the sessions underscored strong interest in sector-focused webinars and business dialogues, particularly in agribusiness value chains such as poultry and rice.
Participants also emphasized the importance of continued information exchange and the sharing of best practices, especially in the area of guarantees.
The second day opened with a presentation on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, a national economic transformation strategy launched by President John Dramani Mahama in July 2025.
The initiative aims to enhance economic productivity through continuous industrial activity, accelerated export development and strategic import substitution.
As the programme is expected to mobilise both private and development capital, it presents concrete opportunities for G-NEXID members in areas such as co-financing, guarantees, trade finance and technical cooperation.
The programme also featured institutional presentations by guest organisations, namely the African Guarantee and Economic Cooperation Fund (FAGACE) and the West African Development Bank (BOAD), which shared their mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Following these exchanges, the G-NEXID Secretariat held bilateral discussions with both institutions as part of the Network’s ongoing membership drive.
Participants further benefited from a presentation by the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB), as well as a showcase of GEXIM’s key pipeline projects.
On the margins of the Exchange Programme, G-NEXID members also held their 20th Annual General Assembly Meeting to review progress and discuss strategic priorities.
Following the event, participants joined the GEXIM@10 International Conference, held from March 24-25, 2026 under the theme, “A Decade of Enabling Export Trade and Industrial Transformation: Resetting GEXIM for the Next Frontier.”
The conference provided an important platform for exploring how Ghana can strengthen its transition from a primary commodity exporter to a more competitive player in value-added trade and industrial development.
Source – G-NEXID
