GNFS is suffocating under 800,000 prank calls a year

The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) receives about 2000 prank calls daily on its emergency lines, making close to 800,000 prank calls recorded annually.
Prank calls in the context of the Ghana National Fire Service refer to calls made to deceive cheerleading firefighters, causing them to respond to a non-existent emergency.
Mr D K. Nisawu, Regional Fire Officer (RFO) of the Greater Accra Regional Command, therefore advised Ghanaians to take a stand against prank calls to save limited resources for those truly need of their services.
The RFO giving the advice during a stakeholders’ engagement to commemorate the 2025 International Firefighters Day said this critical issue negatively affects the operations of the GNFS.
ACFO11 said although the prank calls may seem harmless, they have serious consequences as they lead to a waste of resources, increased risk, and cause financial damage to the GNFS and, by large, the country.
He called on stakeholders to help educate the public on the effects of prank calls as the Service records a surge during vacation when children were on holiday.
“We need to raise awareness about the seriousness of this issue and the consequences of making these calls. We can do this through public awareness campaigns, community outreach programs, and most especially, education in schools,” ACFO11 Nisawu added.
He said his outfit would work with telecom providers to block or restrict numbers known for prank calls and implement call tracing and blocking technologies.
“We will also collaborate with the law enforcement agency to prosecute prank callers,” the RFO stated.
He encouraged the public to report any suspicious activity or prank callers to the authorities.
The stakeholder engagement themed, “Appreciating Our Heroes: Say No to Assault on Firefighters and Fire Truck Vandalism”, sought to interact with stakeholders for a lasting relationship.
Mr Michael Dedey, Fellow of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE), speaking at the theme, said there was a need to begin to look at the high level of indiscipline and weakened law enforcement in the country.
He challenged firefighters and society to look at some of the issues and begin to place national interests above self-interest.
Mr Dedey said, “Fire prevention and firefighting must be an integral part of city planning and development. The system where investigations into causes of fire are not shared and labeled as national security must stop.”
The Engineer, while commending the efforts of the GNFS for their efforts despite the challenges, called for proper planning and development of cities to allow easy access to Fire scenes.
Some stakeholders at the event shared their experiences with the Ghana National Fire Service and called for enhanced education among the public to prevent the recent spate of Vandalism in the country.
Fire Firefighters Day (IFFD) commemorated on May 4, annually seeks to honour brave men and women in the fire fraternity who risk their lives to save others. It is also a day to remember those who got injured or sadly lost their lives in the line of duty
GNA