TMA 'Police' Tema Main Market To Prevent Fire Outbreak
A combined team of personnel from the Tema branch of the Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), members of the Works Sub-committee of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), and TMA Security Task Force last Friday stormed the Tema main market for two main reasons.
Firstly, to look at the security situation in the market, especially in the night, and secondly, to establish why people continue to have access into the market after the stipulated time of 6:30 p.m., when all persons are expected to leave the market for security men of the Assembly to take over.
10 persons, who had their shops inside the market, were picked up doing one thing or the other. They are expected to face a committee to be set up by the Assembly to answer a few questions as to how they were able to enter the market after 6:30 p.m. among others.
In an interview with the Tema File, the Chairman of the Works Sub-committee of the Assembly, Kwasi Poku Bosompim, said the decision was taken by the Metropolitan Security Council (MESEC) to come up with measures to prevent fire outbreaks in the Tema market.
As a result of the decision, the committee was set up, comprising the above-mentioned security agencies and organisations to pay visits to the market to find out how best they would be able to prevent any fire outbreak in the area.
He disclosed that about a month ago, a team, led by the Tema Metro Fire Officer, stormed the market to check illegal electricity connections there, and used the occasion to educate the market women and traders about the effects of the practice.
While there, they discovered that the security situation in the market was nothing to write home about, as there were no lights, plunging the whole place into total darkness.
Also worrying was the state of the over 50 security men who have been employed by the Assembly to keep watch over the market in the night.
According to him, most of them were heavily drunk at the time the committee members arrived at the market, adding some of them did not even know how they (committee members) entered the market.
He said they would submit their report to the Works Sub-committee, which would deliberate on the issue and come out with its decision on the next line of action to be taken.
Divisional Officer Gerald Acheampong from the GNFS thanked the personnel who took part in the exercise for their efforts and contributions.