The Deputy Interior Minister, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, has announced that the Mahama-led administration will soon undertake a significant restructuring of markets across the country.
According to Mr. Terlabi, the initiative aims to ensure adequate access to all markets and improve fire safety. He made this statement during the JoyNews National Dialogue on Recurring Fire Disasters, titled “From Ashes to Action: Breaking the Fire Cycle in Ghana.”
The live event, broadcast across all JoyNews platforms, brought together traders, insurance experts, fire officers, health and safety professionals, and the Deputy Interior Minister to discuss the alarming rate of fire outbreaks in Ghana.
Discussions highlighted key causes of market fires, including improper market construction, disregard for safety standards, inadequate equipment for the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), and rural-urban migration. Proposed solutions included market restructuring, retooling firefighters, and promoting attitudinal change among traders.
UK-based health and safety professional Edward Debrah cited inadequate emergency systems as a major contributor to fire outbreaks, questioning the preparedness of some firefighters.
“The problem is the lack of adherence to emergency systems and their inadequacy. Also, some fire service personnel are not fully aware of what they are fighting,” he said.
However, Greater Accra Fire Commander ACFO II Rashid Kwame Nisawu disagreed, arguing that improper market construction and limited emergency access are the real issues.
“It is not true that the GNFS lacks the requisite knowledge to fight fires. The real problem is improper construction and market segmentation, where emergency access should be prioritised,” he stated.
A fire victim from Kantamanto, Susana Asabea, revealed that traders quickly rebuilt the market after a fire due to fears that the land might be sold to other developers.
“We quickly rebuilt because we heard that Kantamanto Market was going to be sold,” she explained.
Meanwhile, trader Nana Yaw Osei Doudo attributed market congestion to rural-urban migration, driven by high unemployment.
“Creating space in Kantamanto will be problematic because we followed due process to acquire the land, and no trader is willing to cede any space. The congestion in the market, leading to the fires, is due to rural-urban migration driven by unemployment,” he stated.
The Managing Director of Bedrock Insurance stressed the need for better coordination in rebuilding markets to prevent future disasters.
Edward Debrah also emphasized that sustainable solutions require a shift in mindset.
“We need to return to the basics, focusing on attitudinal change. We need to find ways to hold leaders accountable, and investigations from previous fires must be made public,” he said.
In response, Deputy Interior Minister Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi announced plans to incorporate emergency access routes in future market reconstructions.
“We have plans to rebuild several markets in Ghana to ensure fire officers are present. We will also introduce mechanised boreholes in markets to serve as an additional water source for firefighters,” he disclosed.
Additionally, he revealed that the government, in collaboration with the Youth Ministry, would train fire marshals to be stationed in markets to enforce fire safety standards.
The host of the dialogue, Samuel Kojo Brace, also announced plans for JoyNews to spearhead a national fundraising initiative to purchase fire tenders for the GNFS.
Ghanaians hope that the proposed measures—market restructuring, equipping the GNFS, and training fire marshals—will help reduce the frequent fire outbreaks that continue to plague the country’s markets.
