SAEMA begins implementation of fire report

The Metropolitan Chief Executive of Shama Ahanta East Assembly, Mr Philip Nkrumah, says it has begun implementation of recommendations made by the committee that investigated the Takoradi market fire.

The committee was set up to investigate the cause of the fire, which occurred last month. The committee headed by the Western regional boss of the Ghana Fire Service, presented its report to the regional minister on Wednesday.

Mr Nkrumah told Joy news that construction of fire hydrants in the market have already started. What is needed however now is funding for the redesigning of the market, he said.

“The short term plan is to create the access so that vehicles can easily move in and also provide a fire point so that when there is such an emergency we can easily get water to deal with the situation. But the long term solution is how we can get a modern market, where we can have facilities… because of the finances involved we have to do it in sections,” he said.

On the traders' demand that city authorities first discuss the report with them before taking any action, Mr. Nkrumah said he expects their representatives on the committee to discuss the report with them.

“The market women themselves were represented. They brought two members from their own associations to represent them on the committee. So I believe that their members would discuss some of the issues with them…when we have studied the whole report we would call their representatives and discuss it with them,” Mr Nkrumah promised.