Former President John Mahama has sympathised with the victims of the Kejetia market outbreak. 

Mr Mahama said he understands and feels the pain of traders and others who were affected by the incident. 

According to him, seeing the visuals of mothers and sisters struggling to rappel down ropes to reach safety was a very traumatic experience for him.

On Facebook on Thursday, March 16, he extended his sympathies and that his of wife, the former First Lady, Madam Lordina Mahama to the victims. 

“I share in the pain of traders and others who were affected by Wednesday night's fire disaster at the newly constructed Kejetia market in Kumasi. 

“The sight of our mothers and sisters struggling to rappel down ropes to reach safety, as the fire raged on, was a sign of the trauma and injury many may have suffered from this unfortunate event. 

“Lordina and I, extend our heartfelt sympathy to all who suffered physical harm or loss of livelihood from this incident, and our best wishes of a speedy recovery to all who were rushed to the hospital,” he posted. 

Meanwhile, Mr Mahama who is campaigning to be elected as the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2024 general elections also called for a speedy probe into the issue. 

“We hope that a speedy investigation will be carried out to identify the true cause of the fire and measures put in place to prevent any future occurrence.”

The NDC’s 2020 Presidential Candidate also urged the government to support the victims. 

“We also pray that all those affected by this fire will be supported by government and their insurance companies (where applicable) to recover their lost livelihoods in what is already a dire economic situation.”

What happened?

There were dramatic scenes in Kejetia market on Wednesday, March 15, as a result of the fire outbreak that occurred there.

Some traders and shoppers ran helter-skelter while others tried to salvage their wares at the onset of the fire late afternoon.

Amid the chaos, some persons trapped on the top floor of the storey building were bent on escaping.

They desperately lowered a rope and frantically took turns descending from the second floor.

The Market in Kumasi has thus been shut temporarily for an assessment of the extent of damage caused to the facility.

The first and second floors of the market went in flames late Wednesday, destroying some shops.