The Ghana National Fire Service has warned of a possible fire outbreak at the temporary Kotokoraba market if the traders do not desist from the illegal connection of electricity into their stores.
The Regional Chief Fire Officer, Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) John Amponsah Tetteh gave the caution when he led fire personnel to have a first-hand assessment of the market since its construction.
The team observed that many traders had connected electricity into their shops haphazardly exposing bare wires while sockets in the cubicles had been overloaded with several gadgets.
A number of unauthorised structures had also been mounted in the market causing congestion which would make movement in the market very difficult in case of a fire outbreak.
Most of the traders are using coal pots and gas cylinders to cook in the market which is contrary to the bye laws of the Cape Coast Municipal Assembly.
ACFO Tetteh expressed worry about the situation and called on the assembly to step up its game to ensure that the traders put a stop to their illegal activities.
Some of the traders who spoke to Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview alleged that the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) had given them the permission to connect electricity into their stores and brought out receipts to prove their claim.
When the GNA contacted Mr Anokye Abebereseh, Regional General Manager of ECG, he stated the receipts were meant for metres installed in the cubicles, explaining that the traders had contracted their own electricians to do the illegal wiring.
He said his attention was drawn to the situation by the GNFS officials after their visit to the market and had subsequently written to the assembly and other stakeholders to find solution to the problem.
The Quantity Surveyor of the assembly, Mrs Georgina Ferguson- Kotey told the GNA that owners of the illegal structures had been cautioned and given ultimatum to remove the structures.
She hinted that the Assembly would soon drag defaulters to court.
The last time the old Kotokoraba market recorded a fire outbreak was on Sunday April 25, 2010, which was caused by congestion and prevented GNFS personnel from quenching the fire early to reduce the extent of damage that was caused.
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