By Patrick Ofoe Nudzi
Accra, Dec. 29, GNA – Some victims of the Jamaica, Madina Redco fire have alleged arson and suspecting land guards called ‘area masters’.
They said the incident, which happened Sunday, December 24, at about 0330 hours, causing damage to properties worth thousands of cedis, was the second time in just about seven months and said they strongly suspected the ‘area masters’.
The Ghana News Agency after visiting the scene and speaking to some victims, gathered that the parcel of land, which was for the La Nkwantanang Madina Municipal Assembly, generated an ownership tussle between two factions led by gangs.
Traders and shop owners allegedly paid Gh¢ 100 quarterly to the groups of gangs as an occupancy fee to trade on the land without any hindrance.
Mr Frank Osei, a carpenter, whose shop had been burnt to ashes, said: “It is my strong conviction that some people are behind the fire. It is an open secret that some factions are fighting over who becomes the boss of the area and the aggrieved group set the shops ablaze.”
“I had five sets of stuffing chairs and each cost Gh¢ 4, 500. Some customers had brought their chairs for repairs and all those had been burnt. All I have now is a hammer. Some of us want to vacate the place so the government must help us financially,” he pleaded.
“We pay tax to the La Nkwantanang Madina Municipal Assembly on a quarterly basis. We also pay for work permits for three quarters to the Assembly yearly and that’s about GHC400. Again, we pay Gh¢100 to ‘area masters,’” he claimed and called for support.
Madam Jamila Abubakar, said: “I had a container full of fabrics and dresses for women. This is the third fire incident I have witnessed in the last few years.
“Anytime there’s a disagreement between the street boys when it comes to collecting the ‘bossu fee’ then our shops are burnt down.”
She urged the police to make some arrests and prosecutions and called on the city authorities to turn the place, Jamaica, into a bus terminal to generate revenue for the State.
Mr David Nartey, who repairs and sells generators, said he lost about 100 generators (new and old machines) during the first fire outbreak in May, estimated at Gh¢25,000.
“The fire started at night and it exploded instantly. What is strange is that the fire did not begin at a small point rather it started with an explosion. We were just recovering from the first devastation and this has knocked us off,” he said.
Mr Nartey said they had not seen or heard officials of the Assembly, NADMO, the Member of Parliament or Assembly Member for any support.
The Sunday fire razed shops belonging to spare parts dealers, food vendors, provision shops, boutiques, mobile phone and electrical shops, among others.
GNA