THE chiefs and people of Akuapem Mampong under the Akropong Traditional Council in the Eastern Region are up in arms with the Akuapem North Municipal Assembly over the relocation of the fire station.
The chiefs and the youth of the town last week staged a protest against the Assembly, issuing threats to the fire personnel after they stormed the new Fire Service station at Akropong to question the officers.
The Firefighters at Ghana National Fire Service in Akuapem North Municipality, who are feeling unsafe, wearing plain clothes for a while now are living in fear due to constant threats on their lives for relocating the Municipal fire station from Mampong-Akuapem to Akropong, the municipal capital.
The Chief of Akuapem Mampong Osabarima Kwame Ottu Darteh III at a presser expressed his disappointment over the decision to relocate the fire station.
The chief issued a week ultimatum for the decision to be reversed.
The Fire Station was relocated on Friday, April 9, 2021, after over 32 years of operation at Akuapem Mampong.
But if the decision is not reversed the Municipal Chief Executive and Member of Parliament for the area Awuah Sampson Asiedu Larbi and Nana Ama Dokua respectfully are banned from stepping their foot at any event organized in the Mampong Township.
Reactions
However, Presiding Member of Akuapem North, Nana Asiedu Offei reacting to the claims of the Chiefs and the agitating youth of Akuapem Mampong, explained that the fire station established in Akuapem in 1978, was relocated from Akropong to Mampong in 1990 due to infrastructural challenges.
He said ‘’but being brought back because the Akuapem North Municipal Assembly has vacated its old office complex to a new office complex hence has allotted the old office complex to the security services and the court to occupy for easy coordination’’.
According to him “The Fire Station as it serves two constituencies namely; Okere Constituency and Akuapem North Constituency and Akropong happens to be at the center of these two constituencies’’.
He said, “The Assembly being a Municipality has plans to put up Mini Tender Stations at Larteh, Mampong, and Adawso to enhance their job’’.
He said the 39 fire service contingents and their Commander, Mary Quarcoo are very excited about their current fire station which has more offices for staff compared to the previous station where many staff stayed under trees due to lack of office space.
The Presiding Member, Asiedu Offei, popularly known as “No Size” explains that the Supreme Military Council II (SMC II) headed by General F.W.K. Akuffo, with others, thought it wise to bring Fire Service to Akuapem, precisely Akropong because it was District capital then for the Akuapen state and also the center of the district.”
He noted that the Fire Service Station stayed at Akropong until 1990 when the owner of the premises wanted to renovate the place for family purposes, adding that ‘’It was then that the Chief Fire Officer, late Martin Sakyi (Nana Abotakyihene) at a Traditional Council meeting at Akropong offered a place in his town coincidentally being the Social Center situated between Mampong and Abotakyi’’.
He mentioned that one of the Fire Officers were among those who moved the Services equipment from Akropong to Mampong is one S.O.1 Kennedy Kuffour who happened to be the Leading Fireman who is now at the Regional Fire Office.
He, however, called on the Chiefs and the youth of Akuapem Mampong to calm down since the Assembly has plans to put up mini Tender Stations at Larteh, Mampong, and Adawso to enhance firefighting in the Municipality.
– FROM Daniel Bampoe, Akropong