The Minority in Parliament has urged the government to adopt the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government's initiative of providing ambulances for each constituency to equip the Fire Service by procuring fire tenders for each district.

During a press engagement following a surge in fire outbreaks across the country, the Member of Parliament for Oforikrom, Mike Aidoo called on the new government to ensure that fire tenders are available in every district to enable a swift response to fire incidents.

“We are developing as a nation, and there was a time when we didn’t have enough ambulances. But with the government’s efforts, we now have sufficient ambulances. In the same way, we must take action and make sure there is a dedicated budget for the fire service,” he said.

The Fire Service has repeatedly raised concerns about faulty fire tenders, with many parts of the country lacking functional vehicles, which hampers their ability to respond to recent fire outbreaks.

The MP believes that successive governments have failed to adequately address the issue of fire incidents in the country and called for a “holistic approach” to manage the problem effectively.

He also proposed the introduction of insurance for market areas, the installation of water sources at critical points, and other initiatives to combat fire outbreaks.

Recently, the country has witnessed several devastating fire incidents, including the catastrophic Katamanso market fire, which caused millions of cedis in damages, the fire at the timber market in Kumasi, and a recent fire in Accra that tragically claimed the life of a minor.

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