President John Dramani Mahama has outlined measures to address the recent surge in market fire incidents across the country. These measures include the installation of CCTV cameras at strategic points in major markets to enhance security and identify individuals responsible for such incidents.
His remarks follow devastating fires that recently destroyed numerous shops at the Kantamanto Market in Accra, the Timber Market in Tamale, and the Techiman Market, among others, resulting in property losses worth millions of cedis.
Addressing victims of the Kantamanto fire incident on Monday, 13th January, President Mahama expressed his concern over the extensive damage and pledged government support to affected traders.
He noted that while some of these fires may result from faulty wiring or substandard materials, others could be the result of deliberate acts of arson, recalling similar incidents during his tenure as President in 2013.
One of the things we need to do is to prevent these fire outbreaks from happening. In some cases, it might be faulty wiring or the use of inferior materials. But in some cases too, we can't rule out arson—people deliberately setting fires to cause destruction.
I remember it happened before in 2013 when I was newly sworn in as President. There were market fires in almost every market, which was quite unusual. In many cases, investigations showed that people deliberately set fires to cause chaos and confusion.
President Mahama disclosed that emergency measures have been initiated to improve security in major markets nationwide, including enhanced night patrols by the Ghana National Fire Service.
I've asked the security agencies to work with the various security services to tighten security around major markets. In addition, we are asking the National Fire Service to enhance night surveillance, as these fires often occur at night, which raises suspicions of deliberate acts.
He further announced plans to deploy fire tenders closer to major markets at night to enable a swift response in the event of a fire outbreak.
We're also asking them to explore installing CCTV cameras at key points in every market. If anyone is involved in starting fires, the CCTV will help us identify them and understand what is happening.
President Mahama in his speech also indicated that the government is considering options to rebuild the affected markets and assist traders in reconstructing their shops.
Read Full StoryPresident John Dramani Mahama has reached out to traders affected by the recent fire at Kantamanto Market.
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) January 13, 2025
In a meeting with the traders, President Mahama acknowledged the heavy loss and assured them of his administration's support. #3NewsGH pic.twitter.com/XcyRckyAeG
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