Veep, Interior Minister visit Katamanto Market

Page 55, September 25/2008

Story: Charles Benoni Okine

THE government will, from next week Wednesday, begin taking inventory of all the traders who lost their wares to the fire at the Kantamanto Market last Monday.
The exercise, which will be conducted on the premises of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) in Accra, is to afford the government the opportunity to structure the appropriate interventions for the right victims to minimise their pain.
The Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, who announced this when he led a high-profile government team to the disaster scene, also said the government would ensure that the right structures with proper layouts were put in place to avoid any future occurrence of the situation.
The Minister of the Interior, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, who was also part of the Vice-President’s entourage, presented 500 bags of cement and 100 packets of roofing sheets to the affected victims.
Fire swept through more than 600 stores and shops at the Kantamanto Market in Accra on Monday night, destroying property running into thousands of Ghana cedis.
Some of the items destroyed included sewing materials, sandals, second-hand goods, audio and video cassettes and discs, shoes, as well as tailoring shops, hairdressing salons, drinking and chop bars.
The fire, which started at 7.00 p.m., raged for many hours before it was brought under control by a contingent of eight fire tenders supported by three water tankers.
When the Vice-President and his entourage arrived at the market, were given a tumultuous welcome.
Some parts of the market were still in flames, while a greater part of the area was covered with smoke.
Electric wires which were half burnt were seen hanging on some poles mounted at the market.
“The government is touched by this unfortunate incident and it is here to solidarise with all those who were affected by the fire,” Alhaji Mahama said.
He extended President Kufuor’s sympathies to the people and gave the assurance that the government would do all it could to ensure that the pain and grief of those affected were minimised.
Dr Addo-Kufuor said the presentation made to the victims was just “first aid”, adding that the government would come up with a plan of what could be done in due course.
The Chief Fire Officer, Mr Felix Fekah, who also addressed the crowd, said the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) would provide two fire hydrants at the market when it was reconstructed to allow fire tenders access to ready water whenever there was a fire outbreak.
He appealed to the traders to avoid cooking within the market, since the slightest spark of fire could spell doom for them.