A joint task force of the Police and Ghana National Fire Service personnel on Tuesday, May 29, 2007, embarked on an exercise to close down hotels and public buildings in Accra that did not have fire certificates. The team numbering over 20 defied the morning down pour to conduct the operation. As a result, four hotels, M-Plaza at Roman Ridge, Alisa, Mariset and Babloys hotels, all at Osu have been given a 15 day ultimatum to acquire fire certificates or face legal action. Briefing the press, Philip Aheng- Mensah, Director in charge of Fire Safety, Ghana National Fire Service said the move was a pro-active one to prevent the recurrence of fire out breaks particularly in public places. He said the Legislative Instrument (LI 1724) stipulates that all buildings or facilities that accommodates people are supposed to have fire hydrants, fire certificate which guarantees that the facilities have fire hydrants, fire exists, alarm bells or early warning systems. “This means all hotels, schools, discotheques, financial institutions and offices are required to have fire certificate before they can operate,” he said. Mr Aheng- Mensah said that the team decided to move into action in order to save lives and property. He bemoaned the spate of fire outbreaks in the country and implored owners of the facilities outlined by the law to acquire the certificates before the law catches up with them. Paa Kwesi Adutwum, Divisional Fire Officer who led the operation said the exercise will continue and warned that “we will not spare any organisation, agency or institution that would flout the regulation. Source: The Ghanaian Times