BOON EAST REGIONAL FIRE CHIEF MARKS 10 YEARS OF MINISTRIES STATION SERVICE IN ACCRA

The Ministries Fire Station in Accra observed its tenth anniversary with a heartfelt thanksgiving service that gathered current and former personnel, senior fire officers, government representatives and local community partners. The gathering marked more than ten years of fire protection, rescue operations and community engagement under the unit's watch. A senior officer highlighted the station's work across the capital and called for continued commitment as Ghana updates its fire safety policies. The event was held without fanfare but with clear purpose, reflecting the practical nature of the service.

The keynote speaker was ACFO II Rev. Naomi Ofori Adubea Sarpong, who now serves as Bono East Regional Fire Commander. In a candid talk she recounted how the station nearly never came into being. In 2015 she was asked by then Deputy Regional Commander ACFO Veronica Komey to pick about 20 officers for a new fire station in Accra. Unaware she would later lead the unit, she admitted choosing people based on convenience rather than fitness for duty. "I selected mostly sportsmen and women and habitual latecomers who were always away for games, not punctual to work, the most vulnerable persons," she said. A senior colleague immediately questioned the choice, warning that such a selection would set the unit up for failure.

The situation shifted a week before the station's planned commissioning when Regional Fire Commander DCFO Ebenezer Simpson called Sarpong into his office and informed her she had been appointed to head the new unit. Overwhelmed by the responsibility she felt, she reflected on a proverb about the maker of poison tasting the first broth. Her unexpected leadership role sparked a transformation that has since defined a decade of service. The anniversary service served as both a milestone and a reminder of the challenges and duties still ahead.