BLAME CITY AUTHORITIES; MAYOR MUST RESIGN NOW!

The Alliance for Accountable Governance has expressed its deepest condolences to the victims of the Sunday, May 5 fire outbreak at Kantamanto.

AFAG shares in the pain of these enterprising and industrious countrymen who are not just breadwinners of their respective families but also essential contributors to the national kitty especially at such crucial and critical time where access to capital is so difficult and high.

Whiles we share in the pain of our fellow countrymen, we bemoan the knee jerk reactionary attitude of our city authorities in enforcing our laws to ensure that such occurrences do not recur.

In this regard, we for example want to enquire of the status of the 1993 Makola Market report following a similar occurrence. That Market Report for instance directed city authorities to provide firefighting equipment including early fire detection and warning systems, fire extinguishers, hose reels and landing valves to help detect and facilitate the initial fighting of fires when they break out before the arrival of fire personnel.

It further recommended that fire posts be constructed in the market or fire wardens made to provide a 24 hour service at the commercial centers to serve as first line defense in case of any fire outbreak. Again, the markets were also required to have adequate exit points to ensure the smooth evacuation and accessibility by emergency workers.

It is however regrettable, that over 20 years on, city authorities have shown no commitment to the implementation of the recommendations as contained in the report. Rather energies have been directed towards relocation to the neglect of the safety and protection of the investments of the traders. Thus we liken the suggestion of the Accra Mayor to relocate the traders to other Markets with similar defects as just a measure of 'postponing the funeral of an ailing old woman'.

Mr. Vandepuji's continues knee jerk reaction coupled with his heartless, insensitive and wicked approach in dealing with the issues in the city exposes him as a man not worthy of his job as mayor. We, therefore, call on him to do the most honourable thing by resigning from his post as he has palpably shown gross incompetence in the discharge of his duty as the Mayor of Accra. We also call on the government to as matter of urgency liaise with the traders association in resolving the impasse. The traders at this stage need conciliatory and placatory words and not discriminatory, intimidating and draconian measures as has been unleashed on the helpless and hapless traders

Finally, we wish to make a passionate appeal to the Ghana Police Service to attach a human face in the conduct of their operations at the market scene. These are really difficult times for our fellow countrymen and women who at this stage are still counting their losses after the disaster. The least the service can do for them is to sooth and not to molest them.

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Thank you.
Signed:
Davis Opoku `
Joshua Kyeremateng
Kweku Ohene Djan
Mutala Mohammed