By Alex Ababio
KUMASI – The management of the Kumasi City Market has officially received a newly renovated fire station built to international standards, a major step to improve safety and prevent fire disasters at one of Ghana’s busiest trading centers.
The fire station, which is part of the Kejetia redevelopment project, will host personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service, including officers on night duty. This means there will now be a 24-hour emergency response team ready to handle any fire outbreak within the market.
A New Phase of Fire Safety
In an exclusive interview with Ghanaian Watch, Mr. Ernest Afayam, Manager of Kumasi City Market, confirmed that the renovation work had been completed and the facility handed over to management. He said the project took one full year to finish due to cracks in the old structure.
“As facility managers, we have conducted proper inspections, and everything is now in good condition to manage fire effectively,” Mr. Afayam said. “The keys have been handed over to us, and we will in turn hand the facility to the fire service.”
Educating Traders and Enforcing Discipline
Mr. Afayam explained that beyond emergency response, the market’s safety plan also focuses on continuous education for traders. “Our wish is not to experience any fire incidents,” he said. “Because the market is full of people we work with, if we don’t enforce discipline, they may go overboard.”
To ensure compliance, the market management has assigned officers from the safety, maintenance, operations, and security units to monitor activities closely. They have also introduced strict preventive measures, including a total ban on wooden structures and cooking inside individual shops.
“We don’t allow traders to cook inside the market; we only have designated areas for canteens,” Mr. Afayam explained. “Whenever we find any wooden structures, we remove them immediately.”
Modern Fire Equipment Installed
Fire hydrants have been installed at key locations across the market, with visible markings to prevent traders from blocking them. “These hydrants are used to control any fire before it spreads,” Mr. Afayam said.
In addition, a Public Address (PA) System will be used to regularly broadcast safety messages across the market. Mr. Afayam called on traders to play their part in maintaining safety.
“It is a shared responsibility,” he said. “Traders must stay alert and quickly report anyone engaging in activities that could cause a fire. That way, we can prevent such incidents together.”
Tackling Other Infrastructure Problems
Mr. Afayam also spoke about other maintenance works carried out in the market. He said management had inspected and repaired leaking roofs and cleaned blocked drains. However, he pointed out that human behaviour remains a major challenge.
“There are still some stubborn traders who throw sachet rubbers and waste into the drains,” he said. “But we are continuing our education and urging everyone to stop such bad habits.”
With the new fire station now in use and stronger safety measures in place, the Kumasi City Market management hopes to create a safer trading environment for the thousands of traders and shoppers who depend on the market every day.