Ghana is silently facing challenges in combating fire outbreaks and providing other rescue services that the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) is mandated to undertake due to a lack of equipment, particularly fire tenders.

A report gathered by JoyNews through the Right to Information Law (RTI) disclosed that the country has only 248 fire tenders to manage a population of 30.8 million people. The report, led by JoyNews editor Fred Smith, revealed that out of the 248 fire tenders, only 155 are functioning, while a total of 133 are out of commission in various regions.

Speaking on the findings on Monday, November 4, 2024, during JoyNews Today, Fred Smith stated, “There are only 248 fire engines available. Alarmingly, 133 are either faulty or out of commission, representing 53.6 per cent. Common issues include engine malfunctions, brake faults, control board problems, and electrical faults.”

According to the findings, the Oti and Upper East regions have no fire tenders, while the Volta and Greater Accra regions have the highest number of non-functional machines.

“There are two regions with 100 per cent appliance problems: the Upper East and Oti regions. In the Volta Region, 15 out of 17 appliances are down. The Upper West Region has 14 fire tenders, of which 12 are not operational.

In Greater Accra, around 60 per cent of fire engines are either faulty or out of use. Critical areas like Adenta, Abelemkpe, Trade Fair, and Tema township are left with only one operational truck, which may also be in poor condition. Even the National Headquarters is not spared,” Mr Smith said.

The findings also revealed that in the heart of the national capital, Accra, some areas do not have enough tenders to combat disasters when needed.

“At Korle Bu, there isn’t a single operational truck, and one was in such poor condition that it caught fire while on its way to respond to a fire outbreak in Kasoa a few months back, never reaching the scene. In Weija, the only fire appliance has broken down due to an engine fault.”

Further investigation revealed that in the Ashanti Region, 25 per cent of the 24 fire trucks are either faulty or out of commission. Kumasi Metro, Kumasi Regional Headquarters, Manhyia, and New Edubiase all have trucks with faulty engines.