The Ghc2m fund set up by the government to assist some 4,500 market fire victims is for free, according to Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister, Nana Oye Lithur.

She says the money is not a loan ,but meant to help the beneficiaries rise out of the ashes of the disaster.

Separate fires devastated markets in Kantamanto, Makola, Agbogloshie and Kumasi in the past three months.

Some of them were just days apart.

Some government officials raised suspicions of arson.

A few arrests were made in that regard following the invitation of a forensic team from the US by the Government of Ghana to assist investigations.

Nana Oye Lithur told XYZ Breakfast Show Host Moro Awudu on Friday that: “It is not a loan,” adding that: “This is a fund that the Government of Ghana is providing to cushion and to help victims or traders who have had the unfortunate event of their wares being destroyed”.

“…As a Government committed to supporting and caring for the people of Ghana, we have decided to put this fund in place to cushion them so that they are able to cater for their immediate need”.