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The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has expressed deep concern over the growing number of slum settlements in urban areas, cautioning that these overcrowded and poorly regulated communities are increasingly becoming flashpoints for destructive fires.
This warning comes in the wake of a recent fire outbreak on May 5 at the Sakumono-Asoprochona Railway enclave, which destroyed several homes and left many residents displaced.
In an interview with Citi News on Sunday, May 11, 2025, Divisional Officer Grade 2 Desmond Essoun Ackah, who serves as the Head of Public Relations for the GNFS, said such incidents are occurring with troubling frequency. He attributed the trend to a mix of negligence, unsafe use of open flames, and rampant illegal electrical connections in these vulnerable communities.
“Those people are low-income earners, and what we in the service have done over the period is to visit them, engage them, and let them know their responsibility, especially when it comes to fire prevention,” he said.
Ackah noted that despite efforts to educate residents on fire safety, many slum areas remain prone to fire hazards due to unsafe wiring practices.
“But as human as they are sometimes, they may be negligent, and for such places, illegal wiring is also rife. People use naked wires anyhow. Therefore these could be the causes of fires in those areas,” he explained.
He called on Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to take proactive steps to manage the expansion of slums and improve safety conditions.
“If the assemblies are able to take this up to ensure that these slums do not erupt in the first place, or better still, find a decent accommodation for these dwellers, it will go a long way to prevent some of these fires,” he added.
The GNFS believes that curbing the rise of informal settlements and enforcing safety standards are essential to reducing the risk of future fire disasters and protecting lives and property.
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