A devastating fire has swept through parts of the Kwadaso Market in the Ashanti region, destroying over 40 shops and their contents.

The blaze started in the early hours of Thursday, August 1, 2024.

Traders in the M line of the market have expressed their anguish over the loss of millions of cedis worth of goods. Among the items destroyed were fabrics, footwear, frozen foods, plantain, yams, and other merchandise.

The affected traders lamented that the fire has left them unable to continue their businesses, which serve as their sole source of livelihood.

Speaking to the media, several traders voiced their despair, stating that all their goods were completely destroyed in the inferno.

“All our plantain have been burnt, we are at a great loss, GHC4,000 to GHC5,000 plantain all destroyed. We bought the plantain on credit and we have to pay, we don’t know how to go about it. Those who gave us the planatian on credit will definitely come after us, they wouldn’t care. We really need help, myself and my colleagues. I’m 62 years old, this is the only business I can do, I don’t have the energy to do any other business," one trader said.

Another trader, Adwoa Connie lamented, “I sell fabrics, shoes, hair scarves and other things. I took a loan, I had a call that all my fabrics were destroyed, and I’m appealing to the government to come to my aid so that I can restart the business. I’m 71 years old and my kids are in school, there is no help anywhere."

“This is the only job I can do. I got new stock just Wednesday and everything is gone. I have kids too, the money lost could be over a million cedis. I’m pleading with the government to come to my aid.”