The Presiding Member for Akuapem North Municipal Assembly, Hon. Asiedu Offei aka No Size says the hullabaloo surrounding the relocation of the Municipal Fire Station from Akuapem Mampong to Akropong is in the right direction.
The Chiefs and People of Akuapem Mampong are agitating over the relocation of the Municipal fire station from Mampong to Akropong which is the Municipal capital on Friday, April 9, 2021.
At a press conference held Monday, April 12, 2021, the angry chiefs issued a week ultimatum for the decision to be reversed.
But speaking to the media on Wednesday, the Presiding Member for Akuapem North, Hon. Asiedu Offei popularly known as “No Size” explained that the Fire station for Akuapem was first established in Akropong in 1978 but relocated to Mampong in 1990 over infrastructural challenges.
“In setting the records straight, thanks be to the Supreme Military Council II (SMC II) headed by General F.W.K. Akuffo, former head of state, with others like former late IGP Arko and late Air Force Commander Air Marshall Bustline, all from Akropong, thought it wise to bring Fire Service to Akuapem, precisely Akropong because it was District capital than for the Akuapen state and also the center of the district.”
He continued “Fire Service Station came to Akropong in 1978, and a house was rented from one Madam Beatrice Okyere of blessed memory for them. This house is opposite the only filling station in Akropong. By that time the Regional Chief Fire Officer was one Nana Sakyi who also doubles as Abotakyihene.
The Fire Service Station stayed at Akropong until 1990 when the owner of the premises wanted to renovate the place for family purposes. 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 with the help of Mr. Johnson Manu who was then the Assemblyman for Mampong and also a businessman molding blocks around the Circuit Court”
He mentioned that one of the Fire Officers who was among those who moved the Services equipment from Akropng to Mampong is one S.O.1 Kennedy Kuffour who happened to be the Leading Fireman who is now at the Regional Fire Office.
Hon. Asiedu Offei, therefore, questioned the motivation behind the recent agitation by the people of Akuapem-Mampong “Akropong people never staged a demonstration nor a press conference against it because they thought we are one people with a common destiny”
He called on the Chiefs and people 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.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
