The Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior, Hon. Achaempong Seth Kwame has call for the immediate implementation of the National Fire Safety programme popularly known as the “Dumgya Project” to curb the frequent fire outbreaks in homes, commercial buildings among others.
The project which will afford every household receive free fire extinguishers will help minimize and eliminate the frequent fire outbreaks in homes and commercial buildings to save lives and properties.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) Act of Parliament(Act 537, 1997 as re-established) establishes the mandate to provide humanitarian service of preventing and managing undesired fires.
To this effect, government through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) has initiated the “Dumgya Project”” to distribute free fire extinguishers to homes and commercial properties.
The members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior during a working visit to the warehouses containing some of these fire extinguishers expressed their lamentation at the delay in implementing the programme.
The Ranking Member of the Committee, Hon. James Agalga bemoaned and queried government’s low interest in implementing the programme as it has potentials to create jobs as well as saving lives and properties.
He said the frequent fire outbreaks, loss of properties and lives cannot be sacrificed for any bottlenecks holding the implementation of the project.
He called on government, the Ministry of Interior and the Ghana National Fire Service to roll out the programme immediately to help avert fire disasters.
The Managing Director of Dumgya Project, Akif Cogoit who conducted the Members of Parliament through the warehouses to inspect the fire extinguishers explained that the project in its comprehensive plan will ensure the establishment of factories in Ghana to manufacture cylinders of acceptable standards to extinguish fires.
He said jobs will be created for citizens through the manufacturing process and the distribution of the fire extinguishers.
Mr. Cogoit urged stakeholders to facilitate the implementation of the project in order to reap its enormous benefits.