Zeqblog Blog of Thursday, 2 January 2025
Source: Okine Isaac
A major fire ravaged areas of Accra's Kantamanto Market this morning, leaving countless traders and business owners counting their losses. The fire apparently started behind the Ghana Commercial Bank and quickly spread, damaging shops, structures, and commodities worth millions of cedis.
According to eyewitnesses, the Ghana National Fire Service arrived at the area but was unable to successfully suppress the fire. A dealer said that the first fire tender dispatched to the location had petrol rather than water, which exacerbated the problem. "The fire spread faster because of the petrol they brought," the shopkeeper alleged, expressing dissatisfaction with the service's handling of the situation.
Some shopkeepers are blaming members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of purposely causing the fire. According to them, the fire could be an attempt to seize market space for their supporters now that the NDC is in control. "This is no coincidence. "It appears that they want to clear us out so that they can bring their people in," a trader claimed.
Thousands of traders have lost their livelihoods due to a terrible fire, prompting calls for a comprehensive investigation into the cause. Kantamanto Market, noted for its thriving trading operations, is an important economic core in Accra, and the calamity has shook the entire town.
Authorities have yet to issue an official comment regarding the incident. However, traders are pleading with the government to assist them in rebuilding their enterprises and to guarantee that those responsible for the fire are brought to justice.