The Northern Regional Command of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has advised members of the public to acquire fire certificates for their premises and business facilities.

It said acquiring fire certificates would safeguard properties, businesses, and ensure the safety of workers and clients against fire related disasters.

Divisional Officer grade one (DOI), Madam Jemima Musah, the Head of the Fire Safety Department of the Northern Regional Command, gave the advice at a workshop, organised by the Northern Regional Safety Department in collaboration with the Regional Command of the GNFS.

The two-day workshop was to equip safety officers to conduct thorough inspection on premises that required fire certificates to ensure that property owners met requirements in compliance with Legislative Instrument (LI) 1724.

It was attended by Metropolitan, Municipal and District Fire Commanders, Safety officers, which included sectional heads at the regional headquarters.

Madam Musah said some criteria were used to check the facilities, including safety standards, before a fire certificate could be granted.

She indicated that some basic equipment required of a facility prior to the issuance of a fire certificate included fire alarms, smoke detectors, water sprinklers, and extinguishers.

She said LI 1724 empowered the GNFS to close down business facilities that failed to acquire fire certificates.

She reiterated the need for homes to acquire fire certificates as well, to safeguard properties, warning that without the fire certificate, no insurance company would risk insuring premises or businesses.

Source: Ghana News Agency