The recent deadly fire outbreak at Adum in Kumasi’s Central Business District in the Ashanti Region has been linked by the minority in parliament on the unpredictable power supply, or dumsor.
Concerns over fire safety and emergency response in the area were raised by the fire, which destroyed numerous stores and properties, injured nine people, and caused significant damage.
On Monday, March 24, Subin Member of Parliament Kofi Obiri Yeboah addressed the matter on the floor of Parliament, calling on international organizations to support impacted traders and urging the government to immediately address the ongoing power situation.
“In my interaction with traders and eyewitnesses, it was revealed that this fire was allegedly triggered by dumsor. Power had been out, and the moment electricity was restored, it sparked and triggered the fire. Mr. Speaker, this is most unfortunate, considering how far we have come as a nation.” he urged.
His statement further highlighted the challenges faced by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in responding to the incident.
“Reports indicate that the Fire Service was handicapped in their attempt to salvage the situation due to non-existent fire hydrants at nearby stations and major logistical constraints. The congested nature of the market, coupled with the lack of modern firefighting infrastructure, worsened the situation, making it almost impossible for firefighters to contain the blaze,” he stated
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However, the Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, cautioned against jumping to conclusions, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation to determine the actual cause of the fire.
“The issue of what caused the fire should be properly investigated,” he stated, adding, “You can speculate on radio, but on this platform, we must rely on facts. If my members also come and claim the fire was deliberately set by someone, it could lead to unnecessary chaos. Our focus should be on providing relief to the affected traders.”
Although investigations are ongoing, authorities have not yet formally confirmed the cause of the incident.
In the meantime, traders and entrepreneurs in the impacted region are still tallying their losses and urging prompt government action to stop similar incidents in the future.
