Koforidua Fire Tender Relocated to Akosombo Over 24K Maintenance Cost - Assembly Member 

The Assembly Member for Railways Electoral Area, in the New Juaben Municipality, Daniel Joe Ahiale who doubles as sub-committee Chairman for Justice and Security committee of the New Juaben South Municipal Assembly has revealed that the Akosombo Fire Service discarded its highly costly faulty fire tender to repair the low-cost faulty tender of Koforidua and took it away.

Daniel Ahiale said the cost of the Akosombo faulty fire engine was worth about Ghc60,000 while that of Koforidua was Ghc24,000.

He stated, that Asuogyaman District capital Akosombo, quickly raised Ghc24,000 to maintained the Koforidua fire tender and took it away under the permission of the regional fire service commander.

Daniel Ahiale revealed this in an interview with some media men yesterday, August 17, 2021.

The Assemblymember opined that the decision is incompetent and dangerous, adding that, a report has been laid to the Municipal Assembly on the fire tender matter.

According to the Assemblymember for Railway electoral area, the only fire engine serving both New Juaben North and South municipalities in the Eastern Regional capital has been relocated to Akosombo in the Asuogyaman district for the inability of New Juaben Municipality to raise 24 thousand Ghana cedis to do maintenance on the Fire Tender.

Currently, the Ghana National Fire Service station in Koforidua relies on a very old fire tender that cannot fight a serious fire outbreak, he added.

This fire tender created a fire-fighting debacle in December 2020 when it failed to douse a fire that gutted shops near Obayaa Mothercare in Koforidua.

The power to pump water is as weak as erectile dysfunction. The fire tender frequently breaks down in the middle of the road when responding to minor fire outbreaks in the Municipality.

An investigation conducted by the reporter has established that, with the current precarious situation, the Koforidua Ghana National Fire Service Station will heavily depend on the very busy and stressful Fire Tender at the Regional Office of the Service which is back up for reinforcement in case of a devastating fire outbreak or a grisly car crash.

Koforidua as the Regional Capital has sensitive institutions and installations such as the Regional Coordinating Council which is the seat of the Regional Minister, Regional Headquarters of all the Security Agencies, Regional Officers of the various Ministries, Agencies and departments are also located in Koforidua.

Again, four tertiary institutions, over 10 SHS as well as the Eastern Regional Hospital, St. Joseph Orthopedic hospital, SDA Hospital among others.

Residents in New Juaben North and South especially businessmen and women are worried about the decision.

An attempt to speak to the Koforidua fire officer was unsuccessful.

However, staff at the office said it is internal arrangements; however, do not have authority to speak on the matter.

 William Ofori Akwaboa, Eastern Region