The Ahafo Regional Co-ordinating Council, represented by Miss Christiana Amoh, Assistant Director of Administration, joined the Regional Commander and other officials of Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) on Friday, 20th June, 2025, to perform the passing-out ceremony of Recruit Course 55 at the Fire Academy and Training School in Duayaw Nkwanta. This historic event was the first-ever passing-out parade held in the Ahafo Region since the commissioning of the Academy.
The colourful and well-attended ceremony drew hundreds of guests, including the representative of the Acting Chief Fire Officer, ACFO II Michael Adom Lawrence, the Hon. Municipal Chief Executive for Tano North, Hon. Pius Sampson Opoku, the Member of Parliament for Tano North, Hon. Dr. Gideon Boako, Nananom, representatives of sister security agencies, families of the recruits,members of the media and the general public.
The event celebrated the graduation of the Academy’s maiden batch of 455 recruits, made up of 229 men and 226 women, who hadsuccessfully completed intensive paramilitary training in firefighting, rescue operations, emergency response procedures and fire safety education.
In his address, the Ag. Chief Fire Officer, Daniella Mawusi Ntow-Sarpong who was ably represented by ACFO II Michael Adom Lawrence commended the recruits for their discipline, dedication and resilience.
He urged them to uphold professionalism and integrity in the execution of their duties. He also expressed appreciation to the government and stakeholders for their instrumental support in operationalizing the Duayaw Nkwanta Fire Academy as the first fire training facility in the Ahafo Region.
Speaking on behalf of Hon. (Mrs.) Charity Gardiner, the Ahafo Regional Minister, Miss Christiana Amoh congratulated the 455 graduates of Recruit Course 55 for their outstanding performances. She described the event as a clear testament to the government’s commitment to decentralizing critical public services, particularly in the area of fire and emergency safety.Miss Amoh praised the Academy’s instructors for their excellent work in developing highly capable and service-oriented fire personnel. She emphasized that the graduation marked a significant turning point in the region’s development and underscored the growing national relevance of the Duayaw Nkwanta Fire Academy. Ms. Amoh indicated that the successful completion of this demanding training programme proves the determination and readiness of the recruits to serve Ghana selflessly.
Addressing the importance of fire safety, the representative of the Hon. Regional Minister cited recent market fires as a cause for concern, while also highlighting a 2.3% reduction in reported fire incidents, down from 2,313 in 2024 to 2,261 in 2025.
Additionally, she noted a significant 31.5% decrease in prank calls to the GNFS emergency line, from 192,545 in 2024 to 131,862 in 2025.
According to her, these improvements reflect growing public awareness and the success of sustained fire safety education campaigns. She urged all the audience to remain committed to responsible fire safety practices and help eliminate prank calls so that emergency resources are preserved for those truly in need.
Miss Amoh also acknowledged outstanding individual achievements by topperforming recruits:
• RFM Abednego Yao Asare – Overall Best Recruit
• RFM Newking Arnold – Best in Academics
• RFM Anaafi Obeng Emmanuel – Best in Foot Drill
• RFM Gyadu Paul Sarpong – Commandant’s Award for exceptional conduct
and commitment
The event featured an impressive parade display and a live firefighting simulation demonstration, showcasing the recruits’ skill, readiness and co-ordination. Awards and citations were presented, including a special honour to Nana Dr. Dr. Albert Brown Gaisie, former Chief Fire Officer, in recognition of his contributions to the Service.
The Ahafo Region continues to itself as a hub for excellence in public safety training and remains committed to supporting national development through partnerships, capacity-building and professional service delivery.