Traders at Ofankor Market in the Ga North Municipality have been left devastated after a midnight fire razed parts of the market, destroying goods and properties valued at thousands of cedis.
According to reports, the fire broke out around midnight and quickly spread before firefighters arrived to contain the blaze. Dozens of shops were completely destroyed, leaving traders in shock and despair.
“We closed and went home thinking everything was safe, only to wake up and hear that our shops are gone. We’ve lost everything. There’s no hope left,” a distraught trader told Adom News, breaking down in tears.
The timing of the fire has compounded the hardship for parents, as the new school term approaches.
“School is reopening and I don’t know how I will pay my children’s fees or even feed them. Everything I had is gone,” another affected woman said.
One trader revealed that over 100 bags of maize, along with corn mill machines, sewing machines, food vending equipment, and other wares, were lost in the inferno.
“I had stocked over 100 bags of maize just last week. Everything has been reduced to ashes. Some of us even took loans to run our businesses. We are finished,” she lamented.
Traders are appealing for urgent assistance from the government, municipal authorities, philanthropists, and well-meaning Ghanaians.
“We can’t survive this alone. We need support – any form of help – to start over. We are appealing to the President, NADMO, NGOs, and anyone who can support us,” one trader appealed.
An eyewitness living near the market commended the Ghana National Fire Service for containing the fire, noting that the damage could have been far worse.
“By the time the fire service came in, the fire had already consumed several shops. They did their best to stop it from spreading further, but the damage had already been done,” he explained.
The incident has reignited calls for improved fire safety measures and preparedness in major markets across the country.
Source – My News Ghana
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