President John Mahama has pledged government support for traders in Kumasi’s Adum district whose shops were destroyed in a devastating fire early on March 21.

During a visit to the site on Friday, President Mahama assured the affected traders that help was on the way, directing the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to provide immediate assistance.

“We will also work with the Chief of Staff and the Ashanti Regional Minister to ensure further support for the traders,” Mahama said after receiving a briefing from fire officers on the incident.

The fire, which broke out at the ‘Blue Light’ section of Adum, a busy area in Kumasi’s Central Business District, caused significant damage to numerous shops. Some shop owners, desperate to save their goods, risked their safety by trying to salvage items amid the flames, ignoring warnings from police and firefighters to stay clear of the scene.

According to one distraught shopkeeper  “The firefighters haven’t done enough to contain the fire.” While the exact cause of the blaze is still under investigation, witnesses reported hearing an explosion from some of the affected shops, suggesting that combustible materials inside may have contributed to the intensity of the fire.

As authorities work to determine the cause and prevent further damage, President Mahama’s directive offers some relief to the traders who have lost their livelihoods in the devastating blaze.

Source:TheDotNews