The Minister of the Interior, Muntaka Mubarak, has urged traditional leaders to put in place and enforce strict anti-bushfire bye-laws in their communities ahead of the 2026/2027 bushfire season. He made the call during the launch of the National Bushfire Prevention Campaign at Atebubu in the Bono East Region.
The campaign, themed “Bushfire Prevention: A Collective Action for Sustainable Environmental Development and Greener Ghana,” aims to reduce bushfire outbreaks through community cooperation. Mubarak stressed that stopping bushfires was not the job of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) alone, but a shared responsibility. He directed Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to strengthen their anti-bushfire committees and fire volunteer groups.
Mubarak’s speech was read by the Bono East Regional Minister, Francis Owusu Antwi. The Interior Minister warned farmers to be careful when using naked fire to clear land for planting. “Preventing bushfires remains a collective responsibility,” he said.
The Chief Fire Officer of the GNFS, Daniella Mawusi Ntow Sarpong, who officially launched the campaign, echoed this call for collective effort. She said the service needed support from security agencies, the media, traditional leaders, and the wider public to bring down the number of bushfire outbreaks.
Ntow Sarpong noted a drop in fire outbreaks across the country, from 631 cases recorded between January and August 2025 to 235 during the same period in 2026. Despite this progress, she said more work was needed to reduce the figures to the lowest possible level.
She praised GNFS personnel and fire volunteers for their dedication. Ntow Sarpong also acknowledged the contributions of President John Dramani Mahama and Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak for providing resources that help the GNFS deliver on its mandate.
Nana Owusu Sakyi III, Paramount Chief of the Bassa Traditional Area and President of the Bono East Regional House of Chiefs, advised farmers and agribusiness enterprises to support efforts to prevent bushfires. His remarks stressed that collaboration among all stakeholders was essential to protecting the environment and supporting sustainable development.
The campaign launch in Atebubu comes as Ghana faces regular bushfire outbreaks that damage farmland, threaten livelihoods, and harm the environment. The government’s push for traditional authorities to enact bye-laws seeks to add local enforcement alongside national measures.
By involving chiefs and local leaders directly, the Interior Ministry hopes to build stronger community-level control over activities that can lead to fires. This approach recognises that local knowledge and authority are important in preventing fires before they spread.
As the 2026/2027 fire season approaches, the government’s message is clear: fighting bushfires requires everyone’s attention, from farmers and hunters to youth groups and officials. The drop in fire outbreaks this year offers some hope, but the Interior Minister and GNFS leaders want to see even fewer fires in the future.
The next months will test how these calls translate into action on the ground, especially in rural areas where bushfires tend to start. Traditional leaders will play a major role in enforcing bye-laws and encouraging communities to avoid careless fire use. The Interior Ministry’s focus on collective responsibility aims to cut fire risks before they cause widespread damage.
According to Joy Online.
