The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) is said to be facing serious financial challenges due to delayed release of funds by the government.
A report by Parliament’s committee responsible for Defense and Interior on the budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Interior indicates that the GNFS owes GHC 419, 535.30 for fuel and has an outstanding bill of GHC 750, 677.50 for the National Health Insurance premium.
It also stated that the Service lacks the needed logistics to undertake its duties
[contextly_sidebar id=”r6mhR6QeqFCIi8d0OVRtRdNgEjAeyWmp”]The Member of Parliament (MP) for Madina and the Council Chair for GNFS, Dr. Ahmed Amadu Sorogho on Eyewitness News admitted that although government is supporting the operations of the Service, “there is more to be done.”
He narrated that the Service has been purchasing fuel from recognized service stations “and at any time that we run short of fuel and we go there, definitely, they are prepared to give us but that is not the best.”
“We need money to be able to run, we need money for fuel but we are not saying that government is not providing,” he stressed.
Alhaji Sorogho also admitted that the GNFS owe some fuel filling stations, “the outstanding is there and we have been promised that it will be cleared and next year’s budget will be taken care of” and expressed the hope that the government will honour its promise.
He however quick to add that as and when his outfit makes any request through the Ministry of Interior, if the funds are available, “they will give us but I will say that we need more.”
“We have been assured by the Minister that they will do whatever it takes to make sure that the necessary support that has to be given is provided so that we can continue to do the work.”
“We want the Finance Ministry to look back and know that if we cannot protect properties and citizens from fire, it is not the best,” he said.
Accoridng to him, the GNFS is not the only state institution which is receiving inadequate funding from the government.
He said: “Running cost has as a result gone up…we will not say what we want we are getting but we also know that it is not a disease that is only affecting the Fire Service and for that matter the Interior Ministry, other government agencies have also suffering.”
The Council Chair for GNFS assured the citizenry that “what we need to run, we are getting it. I can assure you that anytime there is fire, the Fire Service will be quick to respond.”
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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