The government yesterday presented a cheque of GH₵2.02 million to traders affected by fire outbreak at the Makola Market on July 5 earlier this year.
So far, 98 victims have been identified and registered to benefit from the support, aimed at cushioning the traders.
The inferno gutted a three-storey market building with basement resulting in the lose of about 300 jobs.
Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, at a brief presentation ceremony in Accra, said, the emergency financial support was to mitigate the effect suffered by the enterprises as a result of the fire disaster.
He explained that trade and commerce play critical role in the economic development of every country, describing it as the channel between manufacturing and consumption.
He said the Makola market was a huge source of employment and provides the platform for revenue mobilisation in support of government projects and programmes.
In this regard, MrKyerematen said government was focused on enhancing Domestic Retail Trade by improving market and other distribution infrastructure as well as reducing administrative bottlenecks in domestic trade.
He said government’s commitment was underpinned by the provision of direct support to business operators in the trade and commerce ecosystem through the introduction of measures to facilitate trade in and out of the country.
Currently, he indicated that government was in discussions with the leadership of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) toward the establishment of GUTA Bank to provide financial assistance to its more than 350,000 members.
President of GUTA, James Obeng, noted that his outfit was engaging the Ministry on various challenges affecting traders in the country.
Amongst them, he said, were rampant fire outbreaks, uneasy access to market, lack of access to soft loans and tariffs.
He appealed to government to consider providing commercial loans to the victims to enable them resuscitate their businesses.
MrObeng commended government for the support saying “it will help to alleviate some of their losses.”
He advised the traders to take issues about safety seriously to avert future occurrences.
Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Nana Agyemang Prempeh, cautioned the traders against engaging the services of uncertified electricians.
Frederick Osei, one of the traders, expressed gratitude to government for the support and asked the authorities to pay attention to activities at Makola market as they were significant in the country’s economic development.
BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS
