It is now in the public domain that more than 200 shops on a two-storey building at Makola, in the Central Business District in Accra, including makeshift structures, were destroyed by fire last Saturday.
It will be recalled that there had been series of fire outbreaks at the Makola market and its enclave in recent times, including those of July 5, 2021 and August 15, 2021, which occurred in less than two months apart.
These and other market fires across the country give the impression that there is something fundamentally wrong with traders working in those markets and managers there.
Even though the cause of Saturday’s fire is still under investigation, we will not be surprised to hear later that it was due to one or two of the usual causes such as illegal electrical wiring, over-loaded sockets, an over-heated electrical appliance and explosion from a gas cylinder.
Such causes give the impression of the low level of fire safety knowledge or awareness of the traders or their refusal to obey fire safety measures.
Sometimes you go to buy from some of these shops and wonder why the traders should over-load their sockets.
It is usually tempting to question the act but you have to be cautious, otherwise you incur the displeasure of some of these traders who look down upon everyone except themselves or those close to them, all because of the wealth or riches they command.
It is unfortunate that at the end of the day, some innocent traders fall victim to the carelessness of their fellows.
It is also possible that some of the fires result from causes not yet identified by the GNFS or any other bodies that investigate such market fires.
Can’t it be a deliberate attempt by a mischievous trader to cause the fire outbreak for some gain like collecting an insurance package?
Is it not also possible that a faulty electrical appliance or faulty electrical connection, not an illegal one, can cause fire at the market?
This is one area where we bring in managers of markets.
How often do these managers check the integrity of electrical connections in the markets?
How often do the managers check how properly electrical appliances are used at the markets?
How often are traders reminded of the need to abide by fire safety measures?
We think managers in charge of markets, either as private entities or public organisations like the district assemblies, should be taken to task even if not about the causes of fire-outbreaks at markets, it should be with regard to some of challenges of fire-fighting.
It is worrying to hear the Deputy National Operations Director of GNFS, Divisional Officer Grade I Joseph Forson, mention accessibility; low pressure in hydrants in the vicinity compelling firefighters to travel long distance in search of water; and obstruction caused by makeshift structures as challenges fire-fighters encountered last Saturday.
The truth is that markets in the country do not have well planned and proper layouts so they are always congested and it is sad that even extensions to them are done without recourse to circumstances that call for spaces in them.
The case is even worse in the construction of new markets in which case it is everyone’s wish that some sanity will be ensured but it is not done.
It is about time market fires in the country were well investigated and checked because of their effects, including the loss of capital, cost of renovating structures or building new ones and spread of destruction to nearby buildings such as offices and residential facilities.
