Ho central market under 12-hour fire protection

The Ho central market has been placed under a 12- hour protection by a taskforce made up of Ghana Police Service and Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS).

The initiative is to prevent fire disasters in the market, Mr Franklin Philip Masiku, Public Relations Officer of the GNFS in the Volta Region told the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday.

He said the taskforce patrol the market area and the main lorry terminal from 1800 hours to 0600 hours to ensure that there is no disaster.

Mr Masiku said the directive was from national security and on the heels of recent fire disasters in markets across the country.

“We don’t want to take chances at all. We are on the ground and I can assure you that we are on top of issues,” he said.

Mr Masiku however expressed concern about over- crowding and illegal electricity connections in the market.

He expressed dissatisfaction about the habit of some traders who stock products in store rooms with no space for ventilation.

Mr Masiku said the taskforce is dealing with the concerns gradually and is hopeful that in three months, there would be “positive changes” in the market.

He appealed to the National Commission on Civic Education and the Information Service Department to help educate the public on causes of fire disasters and how to prevent and extinguish fires.

A few weeks ago, some traders expressed fear about the safety of the market in view of inadequate and functioning fire hydrants.

The GNFS early this year recommended that the Ho Municipal Assembly should provide more functioning fire hydrants and stop people from using “open fires” in the market, following a fire audit.

Source: GNA