By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Accra, June 13, GNA-The Government has charged the 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across the country to utilise 25 per cent of their District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) to establish 24-Hour model markets in their various jurisdictions.
Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, announced this on the floor of Parliament.
The Minister explained that a 24-Hour model market must have basic facilities including fire station, police post, fire hydrants, creche and accessible routes to deal swiftly with emergency situations.
Responding to questions on measures the Ministry has put in place to forestall fire outbreaks in Kantamanto and Kwadaso markets in Accra and Kumasi respectively, the Minister said officials from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) were liaising with the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to incorporate fire safety features such as fire extinguishers and smoke detectors at the Kantamanto market for swift response to potential fire outbreaks.
Additionally, he said, the AMA was collaborating with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to conduct routine assessments and specific inspections of electrical systems as well as structural audits at the market to identify and rectify potential hazards promptly.
In the case of Kwadaso Wood Village Market that caught fire recently, the Minister said the Ministry had instructed the Kwadaso Municipal Assembly to submit a re-development plan of the market to facilitate its redesigning and construction efforts.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba