
The paramount chief of the Sirigu Traditional Area in the Kassena Nankana West District of the Upper East Region of Ghana, Naba Atogumdeya Roland Akwara III, has established a fire station in collaboration with divisional chiefs, sub-divisional leaders, queen mothers, assembly members, opinion leaders, and youth leaders. This initiative aims to address the increasing number of fire outbreaks that the district capital’s fire station has struggled to manage due to the poor state of road connections in the area.

Naba Atogumdeya Roland Akwara III informed World News that the community has constructed a pavilion for the fire tender and ambulance, with support from Afrikids Ghana, which provided a building for both the Ghana National Fire Service and the ambulance service. The total cost for the renovations and construction amounted to 231,000 cedis. Although they have not yet secured a fire tender, the officers assigned to the area have shown proactivity and diligence in their duties.

Despite the lack of the tender, the officers successfully extinguished three fires using fire extinguishers one in the Natognia, Busongo community and another at the Martyrs of Uganda Health Centre in Sirigu—before assistance from the district capital fire tender in Paga arrived.
Naba noted that the eastern part of the Kassena Nankana West District Sirigu is surrounded by many neighbouring, including Mirigu, Yua, Kandiga, Nabango, Mayoro, and Natognia so when a fire tender for the Sirigu station would help all those neighbouring communities and even to Zorko in the Bongo district.

In an exclusive interview, the fire station commander, Zoogah Newton, stated that the fire station was commissioned on July 20, 2024. The team started with nine fire officers, which has since grown to ten. He emphasized that they began with house-to-house visits to educate the community on fire management, recognizing the distance between various neighborhoods, markets, and churches.
The first recorded fire incident occurred at the Martyrs of Uganda Health Centre, followed by incidents in Busongo and Natognia. Officers rushed to combat these fires using their motorbikes and extinguishers, with community support, before the fire tender arrived.
Mr. Zoogah Newton expressed concern that while the fire tender would significantly enhance their firefighting capabilities, their ethics as officers require them to respond to reported fires, even in the absence of a fire tender stationed at their location.

He acknowledged the paramount chief’s support in providing fuel for their activities but emphasized the need for additional logistics to improve operations, as the chief is already burdened with many responsibilities.
Mr. Zoogah Newton appealed to the government, non-government organizations, and philanthropists for assistance in acquiring a fire tender, motorbikes, funds for fuel, and additional officers to enhance their service for the people of Sirigu and surrounding communities.
Source: mywordfmonline.com/ Gaspard Ayuureneeya