The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has disclosed that firefighters in the country do not have any insurance coverage for injuries sustained while on duty.

According to the service’s Public Relations Officer, Alex King Nartey, officers who get hurt while responding to fires or carrying out emergency rescues must cover their own medical expenses, as no structured insurance policy is in place to support them.

He further explained that personnel can only seek reimbursement after footing their medical bills, but the process is often slow and unpredictable.

"We don’t have any health insurance....When firefighters get injured at the scene of a fire, they use their own resources to take care of themselves and later apply for a refund to be paid to them. So if at that moment you don’t have money, you would have to go and borrow money from people to be able to take care of yourself."

His comments come in response to criticisms from the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, following a fire outbreak at Adum in Kumasi on Saturday, March 22.

The fire, which engulfed a commercial building near the Adum Central Business District, caused extensive damage, destroying shops and valuable goods worth thousands of cedis. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

Firefighters from the GNFS arrived at the scene to contain the flames and prevent them from spreading. However, during an assessment visit, Dr. Amoakohene expressed frustration after spotting what he believed to be an empty fire tender at the location. He demanded answers from the firefighters, questioning why the vehicle was there if it had no water.

Reacting to the minister’s remarks, King Nartey criticized the approach, suggesting that a simple show of appreciation would have been more appropriate.

"A simple thank you would have sufficed. You could have easily spoken to the commanding officer at that time and got updates, but to create a scene with a camera on you to demoralize the efforts of the firefighters is not right," he told GHOne TV.

He further highlighted the struggles firefighters endure due to the lack of insurance coverage.

The GNFS is yet to comment on whether any measures will be put in place to address this issue.