By: Baba Mohammed Issahak
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has issued a strong warning to authorities and market stakeholders, urging the urgent reconstruction of market facilities across the country to meet modern safety standards or risk further devastating fire outbreaks.
The call was made by the Greater Accra Regional Commander of the GNFS, Assistant Chief Fire Officer II (ACFO II) Rashid Nisawu, during an interview on Channel One Newsroom on Saturday, April 19. He emphasized that unless markets are redesigned using fire-resistant materials and equipped with fire safety technologies, fire incidents will continue to pose a threat to lives and livelihoods.
“Until we try and reconstruct these markets into modern standards—where we can get smoke detectors, heat detectors, flame detectors, using fire-resistant materials to construct… we’ll continue to have challenges,” ACFO II Nisawu stated.
He noted that many market structures in Ghana are constructed with combustible materials such as plywood and wawa boards, which significantly increase the risk of fire outbreaks.
According to him, adopting modern construction practices is no longer optional but essential for public safety.
“We have fire-resistant materials that can help the system,” he added, urging both government and local authorities to take deliberate steps toward safer market infrastructure.
ACFO II Nisawu also stressed the need for enforced operating hours and regulations to prevent market stalls from being used as residences—practices which contribute to the frequency and impact of market fires.
His remarks come in the wake of recent market fires, including the January 2 blaze at Accra’s Kantamanto Market and the March 21 inferno at the Adum Central Market in Kumasi, which caused extensive damage and disrupted business activities.
The GNFS Commander’s warning echoes growing concerns about the vulnerability of market infrastructure across the country and reinforces the urgent need for structural reforms to protect both traders and consumer
