Mahama Ayariga Commiserates With Kumasi Central Market Fire Victims

Ghana's Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr Mahama Ayariga, joined the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, and Kumasi Mayor, Mr Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, in commiserating with victims of the devastating fire at the Kumasi Central Market. The inferno, which occurred last Friday night, destroyed approximately 15 shops and stores to the ground.

The Minister received a report of this heart-wrenching event while embarking on the "Accounting to the People" tour alongside President John Dramani Mahama in the Bono Region. Prompted by the President's directive, he hastened to assess the damage and offer support to the affected market traders.

The Minister pointed out that the ongoing redevelopment of the Kumasi Central Market, which has been plagued by delays, plays a part in the recurrent fire incidents at the establishment. He pledged the contractor's swift return to expedite the completion of all three phases of the redevelopment project. The Minister expressed grave concern over the lackadaisical approach of shop occupants towards maintaining their wiring systems and the use of low-quality electrical materials. He urged them to seek the services of certified electricians to avoid future mishaps.

The Minister applauded the Ghana National Fire Service for their prompt response and commendable efforts in containing the blaze, thereby averting a potential catastrophe. He also expressed gratitude to God that no lives were lost in the unfortunate incident. The Metro Fire Officer, D.O I Thomas Asiedu, informed the Minister that the fire might have been sparked due to unreliable power supply, power outages, and some shop owners' neglect to switch off their electrical gadgets before leaving the market.

Dr. Frank Amoakohene, the Ashanti Regional Minister, pledged to task the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to compile the names of all affected persons and report back to the sector Minister and the President to discern the appropriate support to be extended to them. He also appealed to traders in the market to look out for each other, ensuring all electrical appliances are switched off before leaving the market at the end of each workday.