The Greater Accra Regional Fire Commander, ACFO II Rashid Kwame Nisawu, has issued a warning that fire outbreaks in markets will persist unless urgent measures are implemented to prevent vendors from living, cooking, and storing flammable materials in these areas. Speaking at the JoyNews National Dialogue on fire safety in Ghana on Thursday, April 3, he emphasized that the practice of converting markets into residential spaces is a significant factor contributing to the frequency of fire disasters.
According to ACFO II Nisawu, markets in Ghana are not just trading hubs but also serve as homes for many traders, a practice that significantly increases fire risks. He explained that vendors often light mosquito coils or candles at night while sleeping in the market, and when they drift off, they are unaware of their surroundings.
This negligence, he stated, is a major cause of market fires, as unattended flames can easily ignite nearby materials and spread rapidly. “Until we dedicate markets and say this is a dedicated market, don’t allow people to come cook, sleep there, bathe there, and you turn markets into their homes, we will have challenges,” he warned.
The fire commander highlighted that improper storage of flammable substances is a significant factor contributing to the recurring fires. Referring to the recent fire outbreak in Adum, located in the Ashanti region, he pointed out that explosions occurred in certain areas as the fire spread, suggesting that highly combustible materials were stored nearby. He also revealed that investigations into some fires have shown that items being sold in the market contributed to fueling the blaze. To tackle these issues, ACFO II Nisawu proposed a more structured approach to market management.
He advocated for the establishment of dedicated markets where trading activities are strictly regulated, ensuring that vendors do not turn them into makeshift homes or storage facilities for hazardous substances. He also called for proper market segmentation, where traders dealing in similar goods are assigned specific sections of the market.
This, he explained, would help prevent situations where highly flammable materials are mixed with other goods, increasing the risk of fire outbreaks. “So to prevent these things, market segmentation – we should know that this lane is for cloth sellers, this one is for tomato sellers,” he added.
By: Prince Adu-Owusu