Govt officials with representatives of the fire victims
The government has allocated GH₵1 million to assist the victims of the catastrophic fire that struck the Kantamanto Market in Accra on January 2.
This financial support follows a commitment made by President John Dramani Mahama during a courtesy visit from the Kantamanto Traders Association upon assumption of office.
The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, delivered the donation on behalf of the President, conveying the government’s condolences for the significant losses endured by the traders.
During the presentation, Mr. Debrah highlighted the importance of discussing redesigning the market to avert future incidents.
He announced intentions to reconstruct the market as a modern, multi-purpose facility. Reverend Opoku Afreh, Chairman of the Kantamanto Traders Association, expressed gratitude to the President for the assistance, noting that more than half of the market was destroyed, resulting in losses amounting to millions of cedis in sales and approximately $1.7 million worth of clothing.
He stated, “One wholesale store, which had never been affected before, lost bales of clothes valued at $1.7 million.”
The association has also secured a $100 million loan from Access Bank to develop a modern market but requires government support to resolve ongoing disputes related to the affected land.
The GH₵1 million donation will be distributed among various groups within the Kantamanto Traders Association, including the Used Clothes Traders Association, Egg Sellers Association, Hair Dressers Association, and Platform Association, among others.
These associations, representing traders and business owners from various sectors, were profoundly impacted by the fire, which destroyed over 7,000 shops and left many individuals without a source of income.
A Daily Guide Report