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BLAME CITY AUTHORITIES; MAYOR MUST RESIGN NOW!
The Alliance for
Accountable Governance has expressed its deepest condolences to
the victims of the Sunday, May 5 fire outbreak at Kantamanto.
AFAG shares in the pain of these enterprising and industrious
countrymen who are not just breadwinners of their respective
families but also essential contributors to the national kitty
especially at such crucial and critical time where access to
capital is so difficult and high.
Whiles we share in the pain of our fellow countrymen, we bemoan
the knee jerk reactionary attitude of our city authorities in
enforcing our laws to ensure that such occurrences do not recur.
In this regard, we for example want to enquire of the status of
the 1993 Makola Market report following a similar occurrence.
That Market Report for instance directed city authorities to
provide firefighting equipment including early fire detection
and warning systems, fire extinguishers, hose reels and landing
valves to help detect and facilitate the initial fighting of
fires when they break out before the arrival of fire personnel.
It further recommended that fire posts be constructed in the
market or fire wardens made to provide a 24 hour service at the
commercial centers to serve as first line defense in case of any
fire outbreak. Again, the markets were also required to have
adequate exit points to ensure the smooth evacuation and
accessibility by emergency workers.
It is however regrettable, that over 20 years on, city
authorities have shown no commitment to the implementation of
the recommendations as contained in the report. Rather energies
have been directed towards relocation to the neglect of the
safety and protection of the investments of the traders. Thus we
liken the suggestion of the Accra Mayor to relocate the traders
to other Markets with similar defects as just a measure of
‘postponing the funeral of an ailing old woman’.
Mr. Vandepuji’s continues knee jerk reaction coupled with his
heartless, insensitive and wicked approach in dealing with the
issues in the city exposes him as a man not worthy of his job as
mayor. We, therefore, call on him to do the most honourable
thing by resigning from his post as he has palpably shown gross
incompetence in the discharge of his duty as the Mayor of Accra.
We also call on the government to as matter of urgency liaise
with the traders association in resolving the impasse. The
traders at this stage need conciliatory and placatory words and
not discriminatory, intimidating and draconian measures as has
been unleashed on the helpless and hapless traders.
Finally, we wish to make a passionate appeal to the Ghana Police
Service to attach a human face in the conduct of their
operations at the market scene. These are really difficult times
for our fellow countrymen and women who at this stage are still
counting their losses after the disaster. The least the service
can do for them is to sooth and not to molest them.
Thank you.
Signed:
Davis Opoku `
Joshua Kyeremateng
Kweku Ohene Djan
Mutala Mohammed
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