Gov’t to give GH¢2m grant to fire victims

Four thousand, five hundred fire victims have been earmarked to benefit from a GH¢2 million grant established by government.

Mr Felix Kwakye-Ofosu, a Deputy Minister of Information and Media Relations who made this known in Accra on Thursday said out of the number, 3,000 of them would be drawn from Makola Number Two, Kantamanto and portions of the Makola Number One markets.

The remaining 1,500 victims would be drawn from the Kumasi Central Market.

Mr Kwakye-Ofosu, who was speaking during the daily media briefings at the Flagstaff House, said a scientific method would be put in place to validate the names that have been presented to the committee.

He said the committee is currently categorising the victims to determine how much each would receive and as soon as that is completed it would be communicated to them.

The Deputy Minister said the committee under the auspices of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection would also determine the levels of the grant, mode of payment and when the distribution would commence.

He appealed to stakeholders to play their roles responsibly to ensure that the victims return to work in the shortest possible time.

President Mahama a couple of weeks ago established a GH¢ million-cedi fund through a committee to ameliorate the plight of traders who lost their stores and wares through the recent nationwide fire outbreaks in the markets.

The committee also promised to register all the victims and distribute the funds appropriately.

Source: GNA