The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has expressed serious concerns regarding the rising prevalence of slum settlements in urban regions, cautioning that these densely populated and unregulated areas are increasingly becoming prone to catastrophic fires.
This warning follows the fire incident at the Sakumono-Asoprochona Railway enclave on May 5, which destroyed numerous homes and displaced many residents.
In an interview on Sunday, May 11, 2025, Divisional Officer Grade 2, Desmond Essoun Ackah, who serves as the Head of Public Relations at the Ghana National Fire Service, indicated that such occurrences are becoming alarmingly common due to factors such as negligence, illegal electrical connections, and the hazardous use of open flames.
He called upon Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to take immediate action to manage the unchecked expansion of slum areas and to implement safety protocols to avert future disasters.
‘These individuals are often low-income earners, and our service has made efforts to visit and engage with them to raise awareness about their responsibilities, particularly in terms of fire prevention.
However, human nature sometimes leads to negligence, and in these areas, illegal wiring is prevalent.
People often use exposed wires indiscriminately, which can contribute to fire outbreaks.
If the assemblies can address these issues to prevent the emergence of slums or, ideally, provide adequate housing for these residents, it would significantly help in reducing the incidence of such fires,’ he remarked.
