Accra, August 20, GNA – The three-storey building at Makola market which was gutted by fire on July 5, 2021 is to be demolished per recommendations from a committee set up to investigate the incident.
The seven-member committee set up by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) recommended that the building structure was weak and compromised, and should therefore be pulled down.
Mr Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah, Chief Executive, AMA, at a news briefing after receiving the report, said the demolition would be done by the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces on Sunday, August 22, 2021.
The Accra Mayor said government through the Ministry of Trade and Industry would compensate the affected traders on their loss.
He said government had also begun rewiring of markets in the metropolis including; the Makola market, Timber market, Kaneshie market, among others.
Mr Sowah said the committee also recommended that the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) repaired all faulty hydrants whereas the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) ensured power stability at the markets.
“Critical observations from the committee’s report include; erratic power outages, exposure and dis-organised wiring systems, difficulty in accessing water, absence of insurance policy, among others,” he added.
The Mayor said the committee on the cause of the fire incident noted that smoke was noticed in front of one of the shops namely Afia 123 Enterprise on the second floor of the building from a generator set switched on which could not be put off.
The AMA Chief Executive constituted a seven-member committee on Friday, July 9, 2021 to investigate the cause of the Makola fire incident and proffer solutions to prevent further incident.
The committee included; Mr Henry Plange, Chairman, who is also the AMA National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) Coordinator; Mr Julius Azumah, Secretary to the committee, also the AMA Assistant Administrator and Mr Collins Owusu, District Commercial Officer, GWCL.
The rest included; Mr Enoch Sowah, District Engineer, ECG Makola; D.O.1 Lily Robertson, District Fire Commander, Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS); D.O.1 Ofori-Adjei, Acting Assistant Director of Operations, GNFS, and Superintendent Freeman Kumashie, Rapid Deployment Force Commander, Ghana Police Service.
They were to investigate the incident and report on the cause of it, shops and persons affected, mitigating such incidents at the markets, among others.
GNA