The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in the Ashanti Region has warned that thousands of traders and shoppers are at serious risk after inspections revealed widespread fire safety failures in more than 30 markets within Greater Kumasi, including the newly built Kejetia Market.
Regional NADMO Director, Alhaji Abdul Nasir Mohammed, said the checks—conducted between October and November—uncovered shops operating without basic safety tools such as fire alarms, smoke detectors, or functioning extinguishers.
“We found shops without fire alarms, no smoke detectors, and no functional extinguishers,” he said. “Some of the wiring is done with inferior materials. These are ticking time bombs in facilities that host thousands daily.”
The inspections also revealed poor and illegal electrical connections, including exposed wiring, even in markets expected to meet modern safety standards.
NADMO officers further observed traders openly cooking with gas cylinders, coal pots and other heat sources—activities the organisation insists are too dangerous to allow in busy market environments. Officers seized more than 50 gas cylinders and related equipment during the operation.
To address the recurring risk, NADMO says traders will soon be required to sign bonds of good behaviour, committing not to cook or bring prohibited equipment into the markets. The organisation will also take traders’ personal details to improve compliance and accountability.
Despite these interventions, Alhaji Mohammed said NADMO continues to face logistical and resource challenges. He appealed for support from the public and private sectors to help the organisation prevent future disasters.
“We can only keep our markets safe if everyone plays their part—traders, authorities, and supporting partners,” he emphasised.
At the Kumasi Metro Fire Office, Assistant Station Officer Theophilus Kwaku Appiah also urged traders to stop cooking within market centres.
“If you have a medical condition that prevents you from buying food outside, we plead with you to cook your food at home and bring it to the market,” he said. “Do not come to the market to cook.”
He warned that anyone caught violating the directive will be penalised.
Officials from the Ghana Standards Authority, including Eugene Antwi Nuamah, expressed concerns about the poor condition of many seized gas cylinders. He cautioned that most Ghanaians fail to check the lifespan of their cylinders, which should last about 10 years with proper maintenance.
Mr. Nuamah advised the public to replace cylinder valves regularly and seek expert assistance whenever safety concerns arise.
The inspections come amid growing national conversations about market fire outbreaks, which have caused millions of cedis in losses over the years, especially in congested trading hubs in Kumasi and Accra.
ALSO READ: