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The government has declared its intention to construct fire academies and training schools in four regions as part of efforts to modernize and raise the Service to international standards.

The training schools would be constructed at Duayaw Nkwanta in the Ahafo Region, Kyebi in the Eastern Region, Ejura in the Ashanti Region, and Mion in the Northern Region.

The Deputy Minister for the Interior, Mrs Naana Eyiah, made this known at the graduation ceremony of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Cadet Intake XX, in Accra.

She said Ghana's firefighters were one of the best trained and best-equipped on the Continent, capable of managing any form of disaster anywhere and therefore the need for additional schools to enhance its capacity.

"As a result, the Government is helping to upgrade facilities at the Fire Academy and Training School in Accra and will help put up new Fire Academy and Training Schools", she added.

She said one of the critical pillars of the Government’s Developmental Agenda was human resource development and therefore entreated the Management of the Service to have a strategic Human Development Plan to direct their manpower needs.

The Deputy Minister also charged the GNFS to include new concepts in their fire prevention and management training programmes to ensure appropriate training was provided to personnel.

She said globalization had led to rapid technological advancement and the GNFS could not allow itself to be left behind hence, the need for a new direction in terms of the training to meet this new development.

Mrs Eyiah urged the graduating class to take great pride in their hard work and entreated them to appreciate the Command of the Service, for their support and sacrifice in their training.

She said there were enormous challenges with public safety, and urged the personnel to use the knowledge they had acquired at the Academy to help find solutions to such problems.

The Deputy Minister pledged the government's continuous support to the GNFS to ensure that it delivered on its mandate.