The government has provided GHS1 million to support the victims of the fire that ravaged the Kantamanto Market in Accra on January 2, 2025.

The donation fulfils a promise made by President John Dramani Mahama when the Kantamanto Traders Association, representing 13 groups, visited him shortly after he assumed office.

The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, presented the donation on behalf of the President and assured the traders of the government’s commitment to rebuilding the market into a modern, multi-purpose facility designed to improve trading activities and ensure better safety measures.

He also expressed sympathy for the traders' losses. He stressed the need for collaboration in redesigning the market to allow for better emergency access and enhanced security to prevent future incidents.

Rev. Opoku Afreh, Chairman of the Kantamanto Traders Association, expressed gratitude for the government’s support on behalf of the affected groups. He lamented the scale of destruction, noting that over half the market was destroyed, including large sums of money in sales and bales of goods worth millions of dollars.

He further mentioned that the association had secured a $100 million loan deal from Access Bank to fund the reconstruction of the market but called for government intervention to resolve disputes surrounding the affected land.

The event was attended by Deputy Chiefs of Staff Stanislav Dogbe and Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, Legal Advisor to the President Marietta Brew Oppong, and other Presidential staff.

The fire on January 2 destroyed over 7,000 shops, leaving nearly 30,000 traders in financial distress.