The forensic laboratory when completed will determine the cause of fire incidents and price risks
Deputy Commissioner of the National Insurance Commission, Micheal Kofi Andoh has said the establishment of an ongoing 3-storey forensic laboratory for the Ghana National Fire Service will assist his outfit to price fire risk.
According to him, the lab when completed will contribute towards the use of scientific methods by the GNFS to determine the origin and clear cause of fire incidents for public safety.
“For us as Insurers, the completion of this laboratory will help us price the fire risks properly and also help us in our claims administration. Some people who have made fire claims before will tell you that sometimes the claims take long in coming and that is because they need to identify what caused the fire and a I believe a laboratory like this will make it easier and faster for us to do this.”
The Deputy NIC Commissioner said this after making a presentation GH¢300,000 to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to complete the ongoing works on the laboratory.
He added that the collaboration between the NIC and the GNFS will continue to grow until the laboratory is completed for use.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Julian Kunnor, who received the cheque on behalf of the National Fire Service said the completion of the laboratory will assist the service to solve challenges with regard to incessant fire outbreaks occurring in parts of the country.
“With the establishment of a forensic laboratory, effective scientific methods will be used to identify the cause of incidence including fire which will be merely classified as accidental and the true cause gone unnoticed,” Kunnor said.
He continued, “We’re confident that with the enhanced scientific method of investigation, sub-standard products will be recalled from the markets and many more fires that could have been prevented”
The presentation of the cheque for GH¢300,000 follows an initial GH¢500,000 cedis presented by the NIC when the construction of the laboratory first started.
The establishment of the forensic laboratory which will be situated at the GNFS Headquarters is funded by the NIC and will be first of its kind since the Service was first established in 1963.