News
Carelessness, negligence cause of increased fire outbreak cases in UWR – GNFS
The Upper West Regional Command of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has attributed the rise in cases of fire outbreaks in the region on the carelessness and negligence of residents and organisations to adhere to fire safety rules.
This, according toUpper West Regional Commander of the GNFS, Assistant Chief Fire Officer II (ACFOII) Isaac Kofi Obosuwas inspite of the numerous door- to – door sensitisation on fire safety by the Command,fire cases this year surpassed the figure for last year.
He said the region recorded a total of 116 fire incidents from January to date alone, as against 106 cases of similar fire outbreaks last year representing a 9.43 percent increment.
ACFO II Obosu further said the situation has led to the loss of property estimated at GH₵1,074,357 whereas the Service was able to salvage an estimate of GH₵1,025,224 items from getting destroyed by fires this year.
“Most of the fire cases recorded this year was as a result of negligence, to fire safety measures by victims, people are throwing garbage, cigarette butts and mishandle of flammable materials anywhere without thinking of the consequences,’’ he said.
The Regional Fire Service Commander was speaking to the Ghanaian Times here yesterday in an exclusive interview on cases of fire outbreaks in the region from last year to date.
“Negligence in fire protection should be taken seriously and avoided at all costs by ensuring regular maintenance and inspection of fire protection systems, we are always on the lookout for some of these things, and what we normally do is to educate the general public in whatever means or form”, he said.
The Upper West Region Fire Commander mentioned carelessness and ignorance while handling electric power appliances were some of the causes of the fires in the region.
‘’We go to the mosques, we go to the churches, lorry parks and markets places to spread the gospel of fire safety but residents and organisations are just reluctant Irrespective of whatever you tell them, they do what they feel is right”, he lamented.
According to ACFO II Obosu, almost all the fire incidents that occurred in the region were preventable if only people adhered to the fire safety protocols.
Fire safety, he said was a shared responsibility and called on the public to cooperate with the Command to carry out its mandate to reduce the occurrences of fire outbreaks in the region.
ACFO II Obosu encouraged various institutions to work with the GNFS when putting up structures to ensure they were fire compliant to prevent fires outbreaks.
He said the Command would continue to create and sustain awareness of the public on fire prevention and safety measures and implored resident to be abreast with all the emergency numbers and also visit the nearest Fire Station within their locality to get their direct emergency numbers.
He has therefore, called on all to join hands with the GNFS and also observe basic safety fire preventive measures to help reduce fire incidents in the region.
FROM RAFIA ABDUL RAZAK WA
News
Ghana-Colombia strengthens ties through diplomatic engagement
In an important diplomatic engagement, the Colombian Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Daniel Garces Carabali paid a courtesy call on the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, at his office in Accra to discuss some key areas of collaboration.
The meeting focused on pressing issues, including security, decongestion of Ghana’s prisons, prison reform programmes, training programmes, improving the welfare of prisoners and enhancing disaster management in the country.
The courtesy call underscores the growing bilateral ties between Ghana and Colombia, building on previous engagements, such as the visit of the Colombian Vice President to Ghana in 2023.
The meeting demonstrates the commitment of both nations to fostering cooperation and addressing shared challenges.
News
Ghana to host African Catholic Journalists from August 10
The Union Catholique Africaine de la Presse (UCAP), also known as the African Catholic Union of the Press, in collaboration with the Catholic Association of Media Practitioners-Ghana (CAMP-G), is set to host its prestigious Triennial Congress from August 10 to 17 August, 2025.
The programme would be held at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Legon, Accra, Ghana.
This landmark event, the most significant gathering of Catholic journalists in Africa, will bring together media professionals, researchers, and experts in digital technology from across the continent and beyond.
The theme for the Congress is: “Balancing Technological Progress and the Preservation of Human Values in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”
Congress Highlights
The UCAP Congress 2025 will feature discussions and deliberations on critical issues arising from or related to integral human development, particularly within the framework of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Some of the key sub-themes to be addressed include:Corporate Social Responsibility in Managing the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Human Values, Deploying AI in Eco-friendly Business Start-ups in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges, Technology and the Reprogramming of Social Reality, Distortion of Reality in Social and Digital Media, Ecological Education and Action Against Unsustainable Exploitation of Natural Resources, and Media and the Promotion of the Recommendations of the Synod on Synodality in Africa.
Participants will include media professionals from both ecclesiastical and lay organisations, media researchers and academics, representatives from the Vatican, government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the digital technology sector.
Objectives of the Congress
The primary goal of this Congress is to strengthen the capacities of media professionals and educate the public on the necessity of preserving human values amid rapid technological progress. Specific objectives include; Training 100 media practitioners in Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies, with a focus on balancing innovation and human values.
This will include promoting ethics and bioethics in technical research and technological innovations through media.
Advocating for human values such as respect for life, human dignity, charity, solidarity, and human rights and assessing the impact of technological progress to better understand the challenges, risks, and opportunities presented by AI will be part of the objectives.
UCAP is a continental organisation dedicated to promoting communication within the Catholic Church and its partners in Africa. With a mission to foster spiritual growth, collaboration, and responsible journalism, UCAP works to spread the Gospel, uphold human values, and support developmental initiatives across Africa and beyond.
UCAP is an independent, autonomous, non-political, and non-profit organisation comprising African Catholic journalists, communicators, academics, researchers, and institutions in various media fields.
