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Upper West Fire Service records high incidents institutional fires in first quarter
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in the Upper West Region recorded nine incidents of institutional fires from January to March, this year. The figure exceeded the three incidents recorded for the same period last year.
The nine incidents involved mostly second-cycle institutions in the region such as the Wa Technical Senior High School in the Wa Municipality as well as the Eremon and Lawra Senior High Schools in the Lawra Municipal.
The figure was presented to the Ghanaian Times at Wa on Monday by the GNFS in the region with a passionate appeal from the Regional Commander, Assistant Chief Fire Officer Grade One (ACFO I) Henry Asiedu for institutions in the region to adhere to fire safety precaution to prevent future accidents.
He intimated that fire audits were conducted in the affected schools and reports that contained recommendations were drafted and shared with the schools and other stakeholders in the region to guide adherence to fire safety principles.
He was worried that some of the institutions in the region did not have fire extinguishers to use in cases of emergencies and those who had them had not serviced them in years and hence were unable to make use of them in instances of fire.
On the whole, fire incidents reduced from 86 in the first quarter of last year to 74 this year and the regional commander was hoping to further beat down the numbers through proactive measures such as education and sensitisation of the public to fire prevention and fire safety.
“Contrary to popular assertion that the fire service delayed when called to duty, personnel of the GNFS are committed to their work and would not jeopardize anyone’s safety; however, the problem sometimes has to do with the brief distress call we receive which does not give a specific indication of the place of incident and we have to waste time calling back or trying to identify the exact location, among other challenges”, he added.
He debunked the assertion that personnel sometimes went to fire scenes with empty trucks and said no trained personnel would move an empty truck to a scene and further explained that the issue was sometimes about the unavailability of fire hydrants at vantage points for a refill when they had exhausted the water in the truck and had to go back to the station for more.
For his part, the Regional Staff Officer, Divisional Officer III, Alexis Kodi Suonyiri appealed to the public to support the work of the service and also take their safety seriously by ensuring that the structures they put up were safe enough for use.
DOIII Suonyiri intimated that domestic fires were reduced from 39 to 32 and said the figure could be further reduced if people put safety first when constructing their buildings by including fire safety gadgets and emergency exits.
FROM LYDIA DARLINGTON FORDJOUR, WA
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FA President, Vice-President, football family pays last respect to late Kotoko fan Nana Pooley
President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku led a delegation from the Ghana Football Association and the football fraternity to mourn with Asante Kotoko and pay last respect at the funeral of devoted fan, Yaw Frimpong, better known as ‘Nana Pooley’, on Thursday March 6, 2025, in Kumasi.
The funeral, held at the Heroes park, Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi saw a strong representation from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and key members of the football fraternity.
President Okraku and Vice-President Mark Addo attended the funeral alongside key football industry players.
The President, was joined by his team of Executive Council members, Regional Football Association Chairmen, Club Executives and officials from the GFA to show support and solidarity to Asante Kotoko and bid farewell to the passionate fan.
The late Nana Pooley, who passed away painfully last month, was interred at Ahafo Kukuom Royal Mausoleum on Thursday March 6, 2025.
The final funeral rites attracted football administrators, supporters and enthusiasts from across the country, as the fraternity celebrated the life of a true loyal fan of the Porcupine Warriors in particular, and Ghana football in general.
Nana Pooley, known for his unwavering support and dedication to Asante Kotoko, was highly regarded by the club and its supporters.
His funeral drew a significant crowd, as football officials, fans, and well-wishers gathered to honor the memory of the passionate fan who played an important role in fostering the vibrant fan culture of Asante Kotoko.
This gathering reflects the unity and shared respect in Ghana football, as the football family stood with Asante Kotoko during this difficult time.
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NHIA set to boost its cybersecurity and IT Infrastructure
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), in partnership with a leading private cybersecurity solutions provider in Ghana, CyberHawk Limited, is advancing the Authority’s digital infrastructure to ensure seamless operations.
This is to safeguard the Authority’s digital technologies and maintain the trust of active members of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
In this context, the NHIA Management Information System (MIS) Directorate in the Head Office, on February 11, 2024, launched a three-day brainstorming session on the organization’s cybersecurity enhancement agenda.
The MIS Directorate Ag. Director, Mr. Daniel Blankson explained that the collaborative meeting aimed to scrutinize the NHIA’s Information Technology architecture, identifying potential risks and gapsto enhance its cybersecurity posture.
“By leveraging CyberHawk Limited’s expertise, the NHIA seeks to fortify its defenses against cyber threats, protecting sensitive information and maintaining the trust of its members.”
Mr. Blankson applauded the synergy between the two organizations and underscored the Authority’s commitment to embracing cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions to drive its mission forward.
The Head of Information Security and Standards Unit, in the MIS Directorate, Mr. Ebenezer Hooper, highlighted the Authority’s significant milestone on the digital transformation journey.
According to him, the NHIA is actively engaged in fully adopting and implementing modern digital systems to improve its operations.
He said, “The three-day brainstorming meeting will culminate in the development of a robust IT infrastructure, as well as strategic plans to translate security implementations into tangible IT cost savings for the organization.”
“There is the need to form a steering committee or IT advisory committee, operated under the Board, so that they can pay more attention in protecting the huge IT investment while ensuring cyber security-related policies are well protected,” he added.
The Project Manager of CyberHawk Limited, Mr. Chetan Narayana Murthy, lauded the collaboration and anticipated that it would empower the NHIA to implement comprehensive cybersecurity measures.
According to him, “This is a huge project that will greatly benefit the NHIA by implementing robust cybersecurity measures, safeguarding their systems, and ultimately protecting the sensitive information of NHIA members and healthcare providers.”
A Senior Manager of IT infrastructure, Mr. David Asare Addo, and his colleague, a Senior Manager of Applications, Mr. Enock Afanyi, with the MIS Directorate, gave an overview of the NHIA’s current technological landscape.
Present at the meeting were representatives from the Claims, Membership and Regional Operations (MRO), Research, Policy, Monitoring, and Evaluation (RPME), Corporate Affairs, the Audit, Administration, and Human Resource Directorates.
Story By : Vivian Arthur
