Until markets stop being homes, fire outbreaks will persist - G/A Fire Commander

Greater Accra Regional Fire Commander, ACFO II Rashid Kwame Nisawu, has warned that market fires will persist unless urgent steps are taken.

Speaking at the JoyNews National Dialogue on fire outbreaks, he cautioned that many vendors live, cook, and sleep in markets—practices that dangerously increase fire risks.

The use of mosquito coils, candles, and poor storage of flammable items are common causes of recent fires, including one in Adum, Ashanti Region, where stored combustibles exploded.

Nisawu called for dedicated markets with clear regulations to prevent traders from turning stalls into homes or storage for dangerous goods.

He recommended proper market segmentation—grouping similar traders together—to minimize fire hazards.

Without firm measures, he stressed, Ghana’s markets will remain vulnerable to destructive fires.