The Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (ARCC) has issued an order to temporarily close down the new Kejetia market in Kumasi after a fire outbreak occurred in some parts of the market on Wednesday.
To prevent future occurrences, the council has established a committee to investigate the cause of the fire outbreak and recommend appropriate measures.
After touring the market to assess the damage caused by the fire, Mr Simon Osei Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister and Chairman of the Regional Security Council, announced the temporary closure.
The fire broke out at around 16:30 hours on Wednesday, affecting many shops and causing millions of Ghana cedis worth of damages to merchandise.
Accompanied by officials from the Ghana National Fire Service, the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), the Police and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Mr Osei Mensah expressed his concern about the extent of the damage caused by the fire and said the committee would identify all challenges in the market and recommend effective solutions to address them.
He further urged affected traders to remain calm while the authorities work to find appropriate solutions.
Mr Henry Giwah, Ashanti Regional Fire Commander, disclosed that the service had commenced investigations to determine the cause of the fire in the market.
He also highlighted that the fire equipment installed in the market was not compatible with that of the Ghana National Fire Service, which posed a significant challenge in controlling the fire.