The government of Ghana has extended a significant show of support to victims of the devastating fire that engulfed the Kantamanto Market in Accra earlier this month, with a donation of GHC 1 million.
This comes as part of a promise made by President John Dramani Mahama, following a meeting with representatives from the Kantamanto Traders Association.
Chief of Staff Julius Debrah presented the donation on behalf of the President, who conveyed his condolences to the traders who experienced immense losses in the fire. Debrah also expressed the government’s commitment to addressing the underlying issues that led to the disaster. He emphasized the importance of revamping the market to avoid similar calamities in the future, with plans to turn it into a modern, multi-purpose facility that can serve the community better.
The government’s intervention is being seen as an essential step in the recovery process. “There is hope,” Debrah said, reiterating that the President is focused on solving the problem without any political bias. He was joined by Deputy Chiefs of Staff Stanislav Dogbe and Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, along with the President’s Legal Advisor Marietta Brew Oppong.
The Kantamanto Traders Association, which represents multiple businesses in the market, expressed their thanks for the government’s swift response. Chairman Reverend Opoku Afreh explained that the fire destroyed over half of the market, wiping out millions of cedis in sales and leaving many traders without their livelihoods. Among the most significant losses was approximately $1.7 million worth of clothes that had been completely destroyed in the blaze.
Despite these setbacks, Afreh revealed that the association had secured a $100 million loan from Access Bank to rebuild the market into a more modern and efficient space. However, the project is currently stalled due to a land dispute, and government assistance will be necessary to move it forward.
The donation will benefit a variety of trade groups within the Kantamanto Market, including the Used Clothes Traders Association, Egg Sellers Association, Hairdressers Association, Platform Association, Railway No.2 Sellers Association, Youth Clothes Sellers Association, and the Shoe Sellers Association. These businesses, among others, suffered significant damage in the fire, which affected over 7,000 shops.
This generous donation from the government is a critical step in providing relief to the affected traders, offering them a chance to rebuild their businesses and recover from the enormous losses. The government’s involvement in both the immediate relief efforts and the longer-term rebuilding process is expected to play a key role in helping the market get back on its feet.
