Greater Accra Regional Fire Commander ACFO I Rashid Kwame Nisawu has pushed back against claims that firefighters show up to blazes without water, saying such accusations unfairly damage the service’s reputation.
He spoke to the media on Thursday, June 4, 2026, in the wake of the June 3 fire outbreak at Accra Central.
“If we didn’t bring water, the fire would have spread to the very end. So let’s be clear: if you won’t praise us, don’t tarnish our name. It’s that simple,” he stated.
Nisawu said public anger after major fires often overlooks the real challenges crews face on the ground. Chief among them: houses built too close together and Accra’s unreliable water supply.
“When you’re putting up your house, leave at least a 5-foot gap from your neighbour’s. When buildings are packed together, a fire that starts in one house will rip through the rest until everything is gone,” ACFO I Nisawu advised.
He stressed that the Ghana National Fire Service does not maintain fire hydrants: it only uses them.
“It is the responsibility of Ghana Water Limited to maintain the hydrants. We just use them. That’s the reality,” he said.
Nisawu also highlighted how water rationing in Accra hampers firefighting. “Everyone knows water doesn’t flow every day in Accra. Sometimes you get it twice a week, sometimes once. So you might have a working hydrant, but if there’s no water in the mains at that moment and a fire breaks out, you’re in trouble. Hydrants depend on the water lines,” he added.
The June 3 fire has reignited public scrutiny. The Fire Service insists that poor access, water shortages, and unplanned development remain the biggest barriers to effective firefighting.
