Chief Fire Officer Resigns

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The Chief Fire Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, Edwin Ekow Blankson, has resigned, DAYBREAK has gathered.

Mr Blankson who was appointed into acting position in 2017 is said to have tendered in his resignation letter for weeks now.

The former Chief Fire Officer who has been in the service for over three decades, has not been well for some time now.

He is said to be suffering from liver problem and this has resulted in him not being able to discharge his duties as an officer properly.

Already, this paper is learning that, there is underway an intense lobbying to replace the resigned Chief Fire Officer.

In the coming weeks, President Akufo-Addo would be expected to appoint a new officer in consultation with the Council of State.

It is not clear if the Council for the Service has been put in place.

The old Ghana National Fire Service Council was headed by the former Member of Parliament (MP) for the Mpraeso constituency Seth Acheampong, who is now the Eastern Regional Minister.

Mr Blankson was in May 2019 inducted into office at a ceremony in Accra, where he pledged to exert all effort in his service to the country.

At the programme, Mr Blanlson said he will bring his 30-years of experience in the GNFS aboard to transform the Service into a world class, one that is capable of providing efficient emergency response and fire protection service.

His successes and failures are there for all to see as under his watch the Fire Service was found wanting in some instances.

In one incident, the officers who were called in the Eastern Region, arrived in a cab while in another fire incident at Makola in Accra, officers arrived at the scene with no water.

He was the 13th Chief Fire Officer of the Service appointed by President Akufo-Addo on September 7, 2017 after his predecessor Dr Albert Brown Gaisie retired.

He was confirmed in January 2019.

Before his appointment, the then 57 year-old was the Director of Operations of the Service after serving in various capacities both regional and national, since he was enlisted on December 1, 1989.