Elizabeth Gyamfi, a trader at the Odawna Rubber Factory Market near Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra, says she has lost 18 shops stocked with goods after floodwaters and a subsequent fire destroyed parts of the market during Monday’s torrential rains.
The June 29 disaster left hundreds of traders counting heavy losses after floodwaters submerged large sections of the market before a fire broke out, destroying shops and merchandise.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, she said the incident wiped out years of investment and hard work.
“I have lost 18 shops. I sell rubber items, plastic chairs, children’s chairs, brooms and many other goods. Everything we sell is gone,” she said.
According to her, the shops were fully stocked just days before the incident.
“Last Friday, we took stock of a lot of items because we don’t open on Saturdays. We loaded the shops with goods ready to sell on Monday. So you can imagine how painful this is for me,” she said.
She believes the fire may have been triggered by electrical faults after floodwaters reached the level of electricity meters in the market.
“The rains were very heavy, and the water got up to our meters. I think it is electricity that caused the fire after the flooding,” she explained.
Elizabeth Gyamfi estimated that goods worth millions of cedis were destroyed in the blaze.
“All the 18 shops were fully stocked. Everything has been burnt beyond recognition. We cannot even pick anything from the rubble,” she lamented.
She added that she has been in business at the market for about 10 years and built her livelihood without taking loans or insurance.
“I used my own money after clearing previous debts. I don’t have insurance because even when you call them, they don’t come,” she said.
She also expressed disappointment over the level of official support so far.
“No government official has come here today to see what we are going through. We are just here counting our losses,” she said, although she acknowledged that the area’s MP, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, and former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia had visited earlier after the incident.
She appealed for urgent support, saying the loss has left her devastated.
“My children are in school, and I don’t know how I will start all over again,” she added.
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