A devastating fire has ripped through parts of the Ofankor Market in the Ga North Municipality, leaving several traders counting huge losses. The incident, which occurred around midnight, spread quickly before firefighters managed to bring it under control, completely razing dozens of shops and reducing goods worth thousands of cedis to ashes.
Many traders said they had closed for the day and gone home, only to wake up to heartbreaking news that their businesses had been wiped out.
“We closed and went home thinking everything was safe, only to wake up and hear that our shops are gone. We’ve lost everything. There’s no hope left,” one distraught trader told Adom News.
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The timing of the disaster has deepened the frustration of parents, as the new academic term is about to begin.
“School is reopening, and I don’t know how I will pay my children’s fees or even feed them. Everything I had is gone,” another trader lamented.
Victims say the fire destroyed essential stock and equipment, including over 100 bags of maize, corn mill machines, sewing machines, and food vending tools. Some traders revealed they had recently taken loans to expand their businesses, making the losses even harder to bear.
“I had stocked over 100 bags of maize just last week. Everything is now ashes. Some of us even borrowed to invest. We are finished,” one woman cried.
The traders are urgently appealing for assistance from government, municipal authorities, NGOs, and philanthropists to help them rebuild their lives.
“We can’t survive this alone. We need support – any form of help – to start over. We are appealing to the President, NADMO, NGOs, and anyone who can support us,” a trader pleaded.
An eyewitness living near the market described how the fire started and commended the Ghana National Fire Service for working to prevent further damage.
“By the time the fire service arrived, the blaze had already destroyed several shops. They did their best to stop it from spreading, but the damage was already extensive,” he recounted.
Story By: Afia Ohenewaa Akyerem