Tamale, May 7, 2026 — The National Ambulance Service in Ghana’s Northern Region says prank calls to its emergency lines are undermining its ability to respond quickly to real emergencies and save lives.

Speaking with Addy Kennedy Edem on WakeUp Tamale on Radio Tamale, Ahmed Yakubu, an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician at the Sagnarigu Ambulance Station, said the region currently has 18 ambulances, although some are not functioning effectively. He named Bimbilla, Wulensi, Kpandai and Mion among the stations facing operational challenges.

He said the Tamale Metropolitan Area currently has four active ambulance services, in addition to the station at Sagnarigu Municipality.

According to him, the service responds to every emergency call it receives, but prank calls continue to waste time, fuel and human resources.

Our duty is to save lives and provide pre-hospital care to the people of Ghana. We work with time because every second matters in emergency situations, he said.

Ahmed Yakubu said ambulance crews often travel long distances in response to false reports, only to discover that no emergency exists. He added that such incidents place unnecessary pressure on already stretched resources.

He called on the public to use emergency lines responsibly, stressing that the National Ambulance Service remains committed to serving all communities despite the challenges.

By Mariam Alhassan