The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) today opened the Automated Fire Compliance and Safety System (AFCAS), a digital portal that allows businesses and homeowners to apply for fire permits, certificates and to register fire safety equipment online.
How the System Works
According to a statement signed by Divisional Officer One, Emmanuel Bonney, the platform is now live at www.afcas.gnfs.gov.gh. It operates under the Fire Precaution (Premises) Regulations, 2003 (L.I. 1724) and its amendment L.I. 2249, requiring all premises to obtain a fire permit before construction and a fire certificate upon completion.
Regulations 11 and 12 further mandate that fire alarms, extinguishers and other safety equipment be affixed with official GNFS tags. The new system will issue QR‑coded tags that must be displayed on all installed equipment.
Who Must Use AFCAS?
- Vehicle owners
- Residential and commercial property owners
- Building owners and occupiers
- Procurement departments of property management companies, institutions and MMDAs
All parties are urged to submit applications through AFCAS and to engage only GNFS‑AFCAS licensed Fire Protection Contractors for installations. Newly imported equipment will be tagged at the point of entry, while existing equipment owners have six months to arrange for authorised inspectors to tag their gear.
Guidance and Enforcement
The portal hosts an information brochure detailing the application process, objectives and operational procedures. GNFS stresses that “all installed fire safety equipment must be tagged with an official GNFS‑AFCAS QR code,” and calls for full cooperation from stakeholders to strengthen enforcement and monitoring.
As part of its digital transformation agenda, the Service says AFCAS will foster effective collaboration between the public and the fire service, improving service delivery across Ghana.
