By
AFP
Translated by
Nicola Mira
Printed
January 6, 2025
An enormous hearth in Ghana’s capital Accra has burnt to a cinder the nation’s principal second-hand attire market, affecting hundreds of merchants and inflicting appreciable losses to the native financial system, officers have mentioned.
Aerial shot taken on January 2, 2025 of the ruins of the huge Kantamanto second-hand garments market in Accra’s enterprise district, which has been destroyed by a serious hearth – Nipah Dennis / AFP
The hearth, which began within the late night of January 1, destroyed massive swathes of the West African nation’s huge Kantamanto second-hand attire market, displacing hundreds of merchants, as reported by Ghana’s catastrophe administration authorities.
The Kantamanto market, residence to greater than 30,000 merchants and situated within the coronary heart of Accra’s enterprise district, is a key income for a lot of Ghanaians. The catastrophe was a explanation for nice anguish amongst native retailers and residents.
Tons of of merchants, lots of them specialised in reselling second-hand garments imported from overseas, mainly from Europe, are actually going through an unsure future. The Ghana Nationwide Fireplace Service (GNFS) needed to deploy 13 hearth engines to combat the flames. On Thursday, the market’s as soon as vigorous alleys had changed into smoking ruins extending so far as the attention might see, testifying to the fireplace’s catastrophic devastation.
“This is a disaster,” mentioned Alex King Nartey, a GNFS spokesperson, chatting with AFP. “We found no one seriously injured, but the loss to the economy is huge. According to the investigation’s initial findings, an electrical fault could have caused the fire to start, but we aren’t ruling out the possibility of arson,” he added.
King Nartey went on to say that operations to fully extinguish the fireplace would possibly proceed. In line with the rescue providers, the products misplaced to the fireplace might be price hundreds of thousands within the native forex.
The Ghanaian authorities has not but issued a proper response to the tragedy.
“All is lost”
For merchants like Fred Asiedu, 45, the fireplace was a catastrophe. “Everything I owned was here – my goods, my savings, my future… Now, all is lost,” he mentioned. “How do I start my business again? The government must intervene. Without aid, our life will become unbearable,” he added.
Adjoa Amu, 39, a mom of three, shared the identical emotions of deep concern. “I’ve been a salesperson here for 12 years. This market fed my children, enabled me to pay their school fees. And now, there’s nothing left except ashes,” she mentioned.
Richard Amo Yartey, an official on the Nationwide Catastrophe Administration Group, mentioned an investigation into the origins of the fireplace has began. “The scale of the destruction is harrowing, but we are determined to identify the causes and provide prompt assistance to the traders affected,” he added.
David Kwadwo Amoateng, president of the Merchants Affiliation of Ghana, urged the federal government to behave swiftly, since “this market is a vital part of our economy. Traders need an emergency aid fund to deal with the situation. Without immediate intervention, the source of income for thousands of people is under threat,” he advised AFP.
