Power fluctuations from a faulty transformer triggered a blaze that swept through parts of the Naa Amui Market near the Ashaiman under bridge in the Greater Accra Region.
It took firefighters several hours to bring the situation under control, preventing the fire from spreading to other sections of the market, which hosts more than 200 traders.
The inferno destroyed over seven corn mill shops, about 400 bags of corn, cassava, and other food items.
Some affected traders blamed the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) for negligence, alleging the company failed to address persistent power challenges that have plagued the market for years.
One of the traders, Ivana Okuteye, said she lost over 300 bags of corn and her corn mill machines in the fire.
“I’ve lost everything. My machines, my bags of corn, all gone. If ECG had fixed the power issues earlier, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Other traders also expressed disappointment in the ECG, accusing the company of “sleeping on the job,” which they say led to their huge losses.
“We’ve been complaining about the power problem for long, but they never acted. Now we’ve lost our livelihoods” they said.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Ashaiman, Freeman Tsekpo, visited the scene to assess the extent of damage and assured traders that his office would take urgent steps to address the situation. He also appealed to benevolent individuals and corporate organizations to support the affected traders.
Source: Shallin Bosomtwi
