The traders who lost their stores in the recent fire outbreak at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle have received support from the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC) in the amount of GH90,000.
Each of the 45 traders whose stores were damaged by the inferno received GH 2,000 from the funds, which were delivered to the market leaders yesterday.
In addition, the council is planning to work with the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to see that fire extinguishers are erected at various spots within the trading areas as a measure to stop similar-sized fire outbreaks from happening again in the future.
This year’s Sunday, May 21, fire outbreak devastated a number of businesses, including phone shops, cosmetics stores, wine stores, and many others at Circle, behind the Royal VIP Station.
The fire, which was said to have begun about 1 p.m., took several hours to put out with the help of GNFS employees and the police.
There were no casualties, and the reason is still unknown.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, stated: “I will meet with the various assemblies to discuss how to work with the Fire Service to see how we can procure fire extinguishers for the shops so that in an event of fire, the traders can begin to douse it before it gets out of hand.”
He acknowledged that fire outbreaks were now a frequent occurrence in the nation, particularly in Accra.
He asserted that in order to address the issue, it was past time for the Health and Safety Officers at the various assemblies and other stakeholders to collaborate in order to find long-term solutions.
“First and foremost, we must comprehend the causes of these fires in order to come up with both temporary and long-term solutions.
However, it is essential that the assembly teach the traders on fundamental fire safety measures in the interim, according to the regional minister.
He claimed that in order to assist minimize market tragedies and also to give the traders a more convenient setting, the government was planning to modernize the majority of the markets in the area and other regions of the nation.
Until then, Mr. Quartey asked the dealers to do their business legally and to stay away from any unauthorized electrical hookups.
He also exhorted them to take safety and fire prevention precautions.
Although the government will play a role, it is up to the traders to make sure that their goods are secure.
Keep fires out of the marketplace, and never leave a naked fire unattended.
We can stop future fire incidents if everyone abides by this one rule, he stated.
Nana Kwame Boakye, the chairman of the Circle Traders Association, praised the government for helping them.
He also praised the regional minister for allowing them the freedom to carry on with their business in the region.
Despite the fact that there have been numerous fire outbreaks and nearly 19 years of trading in this market, Nana Boakye said that this was the first time the government had given relief to those impacted.
He also gave the GARCC assurances that, as a market leader, he would make sure that all traders in the area conformed with fire safety regulations and forbade anyone from making illicit connections.
