[ 2012-06-03 ]

Development means provision of basic needs - Western Regional Minister
Half-Assini (W/R), June 3, GNA – Mr Paul Evans
Aidoo, Western Regional Minister has said a proper
definition of development did not just mean the
provision of infrastructure but meeting basic
needs like providing fire tenders at vantage
points in the society.

He said this during the inaugural ceremony of a
3,000-gallon water capacity fire tender allocated
to the Jomoro District by the government at
Half-Assini, the District Capital.

Mr Aidoo said President Mills on January 7, 2009,
swore the oath that he would protect lives and
properties of Ghanaians including farms, houses
and vehicles and that the people of Jomoro were
witnesses to his efforts at honouring the oath.

He said before last year, there were only four
fire tenders were in the entire region, but with
the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
government's promise of protecting lives and
properties it had added three more within three
years in office making it seven.

He said out of the seven tenders, Jomoro District
has been provided with two within a year, adding
that this signified the Better Ghana agenda
President Mills envisaged.

Mr Aidoo said even though the Police had been
called more often in the protection of lives and
properties, their roles are insignificant hence
the Fire Service mandate to ensure safety when
fire occurs.

Mr William Yawson, Western Regional Assistant
Chief Fire Officer, commended the government for
resourcing the Ghana Fire Service in recent times
in the discharge of its duties.

He appealed to fishermen in the area not to keep
fuel in their houses since it is the source of
most fire outbreaks in their communities and urged
the district firemen to educate the fishermen on
how to control fires.

Mr Yawson asked the district fire officers to keep
proper care of the equipment to prolong its
lifespan and advised the people to cooperate with
them in the discharge of their duties since fire
prevention rest on all and sundry.

Mr Sylvester N. Daddieh, Jomoro District Chief
Executive, said under the NDC regime the district
has been enjoying its fair share of the national
cake through development projects and other
programmes which are in line with the Better Ghana
agenda.

He appealed to the public to desist from raising
false fire alarm which not only impede the work of
the fire service in the area but may prevent the
officers from responding promptly to actual fire
alarm.

The DCE thanked the Regional Fire Officer for the
second tender to the District and asked the fire
officers to use the equipment for its intended
purpose.

Mr Francis Tata-Chie Acquah, a retired
educationist and the last year's Best Coconut
Farmer who chaired the function, said fire can
serve and destroy life and commended the
government for combating the second aspect through
the provision of the tender.

The ceremony was used to inaugurate a brand new
grader procured by the Assembly for routine
maintenance of roads in the district
periodically.

Two similar ceremonies were later in the day held
at Ektu near Half-Assini and Allowulley in the
district where the Regional Minister also
commissioned two unit primary and Junior High
School classroom blocks respectively for the
communities.

The Regional Minister was accompanied by Mr David
Yaro, Chief Director, Western Regional
Coordinating Council.

Source - GNA

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