Traders whose shops were razed by the fire outbreak at the Asafo Market are calling for government’s support to help rebuild their shops.
The fire incident which happened just a day after a similar one at the Kumasi central market, swept through a number of shops.
Shops including hair dressing salons, jewelry shops, printing shops among others were heavily affected.
Traders whose container shops were razed are appealing to the government to provide them with financial support to help them start their businesses again.
“We have lost a lot, so we need the government to help us and restructure this place for us so that we can have a better place to trade.”
One trader also said “We need loans from the government so that we will be able to re-build our stores and containers”.
Ghanaians in the past three days have witnessed various fire incidents within the Kumasi metropolis.
The Kumasi Central market was up in flames on Friday night, while some parts of the Asafo Market caught fire the next day leading to the destruction of several properties.
There was yet another fire outbreak on Sunday night at another part of the Asafo market that was not affected by the previous day’s fire.
“My plea is that, the authorities should come to our aid. We would be grateful if they come and assist us with money or help us raise our shops”, another trader said.
The Ashanti Regional chapter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had also asked government to without delay reopen the Kejetia Market for traders.
The party also called on government to compensate victims whose properties were razed by fire at the Kumasi Central and Asafo markets.
The NDC which made the call in a statement to commiserate with those lost their properties in the fire incident argued that the fire could have been averted if government had opened the newly built Kejetia Market completed by the Mahama administration for business.
“On behalf of the tax payer, the suffering masses and all victims of these market fires, we demand an immediate opening of the Kejetia Market for use to pave way for a speedy construction of the Central Market as planned and started by the John Mahama administration to prevent further pain and agony to the ordinary Ghanaian.”
Meanwhile, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has said that it will not allow victims of Friday night’s fire outbreak at the Kumasi Central Market to rebuild their structures yet.
According to the Assembly, government will soon break ground for the commencement of the second phase of the Central Market Redevelopment project.
“Currently, no, we will not allow them rebuild shelters because very soon all this place will be under construction but we will wait for assessment from NADMO,” the Assembly’s Chief Executive said in a Citi News interview.
Source: citinewsroom.com
