The Ashanti Region NPP Parliamentary Caucus has called for urgent and comprehensive measures to address the growing trend of market fires in the Ashanti Region.
This follows the recent blaze that swept through the Suame Post Office Market. The fire destroyed more than 300 shops, leaving thousands of traders counting their losses.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, August 27, the Caucus extended sympathies to affected traders but stressed that sympathy alone was no longer enough.
They expressed concern over what they described as a recurring menace of market fires in the region, each one eroding years of investment and hard work by ordinary Ghanaians.
“Where is the urgency, where is the accountability, and where is the concrete plan from government to stop these recurring disasters?” the statement queried.
The caucus urged authorities to move beyond “routine words of sympathy and empty promises.”
The group is demanding a full-scale, transparent investigation into the Suame fire with findings made public.
They are also calling for emergency relief and compensation packages for affected traders. In addition, they want the urgent implementation of modern fire safety infrastructure in markets, including hydrants, surveillance systems, and dedicated fire posts, as well as a clear policy framework to permanently address the spate of market fires across the Ashanti Region.
The Caucus pledged to raise the matter forcefully in Parliament, emphasizing the need to secure the safety, livelihoods, and dignity of traders in the region.
Signed by Secretary of the Ashanti NPP Parliamentary Caucus, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the statement concluded: “Enough is enough!”
“The time for rhetoric is over; the time for decisive action is now.”