Accra:<Text>
Fifty officers have graduated as the first batch of retrained Fire Police Officers under the Ghana National Fire Service's Basic Fire Police Course 1-2026. The passing-out ceremony took place at the Fire Academy and Training School in Accra after the officers completed a three-week intensive training programme modelled on Ghana Armed Forces Military Police standards.
According to Ghana Web, Deputy Interior Minister Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi described the event as a defining moment for operational discipline and emergency response in the GNFS. He emphasized the significance of the occasion, stating, "Fifty officers, carefully selected from the Service across the country, have come together and emerged as the first batch of retrained Fire Police Officers. Fifty officers. One nation. One standard."
The Fire Police Unit, established in 1992 under the late Chief Fire Officer Samuel Valis Akyianu, plays a crucial role in maintaining discipline, enforci ng internal regulations, investigating complaints, securing installations, and managing traffic and crowds at emergency scenes. Terlabi highlighted the increasing importance of the unit's role as emergency scenes are often chaotic and unpredictable.
"When a fire engine arrives at an emergency scene, it does not arrive in a calm and orderly space. It arrives in chaos. Our firefighters deserve the assurance that someone is watching their backs. That assurance to those graduating today is your mandate," he stated.
He commended the Ghana Military Police instructors for their role and praised the collaboration between security agencies as a step towards strengthening national security. The retraining forms part of government efforts to improve readiness, discipline, and public safety across Interior Ministry agencies.
Terlabi urged the officers to uphold the Fire Police Code of Ethics with professionalism, alertness, integrity, impartiality, and courtesy. "You carry with you today not only a certificate of completion. You carry a covenant with the Ghana National Fire Service, with your fellow officers, and with the people of this nation. Honour that covenant, serve with integrity and lead with discipline," he told the graduates.
He assured that the ministry will continue investing in training, logistics, and personnel development for the unit. The ceremony was attended by the Chief Fire Officer, GNFS directors, the Commandant of the Fire Academy and Training School, and the Provost Marshal and Commander of the Ghana Military Police.
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