Accra: The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has embarked on a nationwide fire safety sweep ahead of the government's 24-hour economy policy implementation to check the preparedness of workplaces.

According to Ghana News Agency, the inspection sought to ensure that workplaces, market centres, public facilities, and others adhere to required fire safety standards, especially during the yuletide. The team visited the Total filling station, the Ecobank branch at Osu, Papaye Fast Food, and the Osu Night Market, all in the Osu enclave, as part of a cross-sectional assessment of public and commercial facilities.

Mrs Daniella Mawusi Ntow-Sarpong, the Chief Fire Officer (CFO), in an interview said the purpose of the visit was to check the availability and functionality of fire extinguishers, engage operators on preventive measures, and emergency response procedures in the event of a fire outbreak. She mentioned that even though some facilities inspected had fire extinguishers, there were no fire hydrants, and she has communicated with the relevant authorities to ensure that hydrants were installed to address the identified safety gaps.

The CFO noted that a place like the Osu Night Market had no fire extinguishers, describing it as a matter of serious concern. 'I have engaged the leader of the traders to ensure they get a fire extinguisher in the market as soon as possible,' she stated, adding that follow-up inspections would be conducted within a week, with personnel deployed to ensure compliance.

Mrs Ntow-Sarpong cautioned that the Service would not hesitate to enforce the law against facilities that fail to meet fire safety requirements. She called on the public to take shared responsibility for fire safety. 'Fire safety is a shared responsibility. We should all try to be more preventive rather than waiting for fires to occur before we respond,' she stated.

The CFO admonished the citizens to support the 24-hour economy initiative while observing strict safety measures, as the GNFS was fully equipped to ensure safety as businesses operated beyond regular hours.