Following the fire outbreak at the Makola Number Two Market, Agbogloshie, eight security personnel have been arrested to help the police in their investigations into the incident.The suspects, whose identities were not disclosed for security reasons, are being kept at the Greater Accra Regional Police Command.All of them are from the Linparko Security Company in Accra.An explosion which occurred in one of the stores is suspected to have resulted in the fire outbreak.The fire, which was said to have started about 7:45 p.m., destroyed provisions, confectionery, cosmetic products, clothes, bags of sugar, large quantities of rice and other items worth millions of cedis.But for the intervention of personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the fire, which was brought under control at 2 a.m. yesterday, could have destroyed more property.While the fierce fire raged at the market, another fire broke out in a single wooden structure close to the Old Fadama Police Station, resulting in the death of a kayayo (head porter).The deceased, Surya Hamza, was burnt to death while she was asleep. Her body has been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary.The Makola Market fire brings to two the number of fire outbreaks recorded at the market in three years.According to Elikim Mawugbe, who claimed to be an eyewitness, personnel of the GNFS faced difficulty entering the market and that caused the fire to spread to the other parts of the market.She claimed that fire officers who got to the scene first were unable to fight the fire as a result of the difficulty in accessing the market.The Accra Regional Police Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Frank Adu Fati, told the Daily Graphic that the eight suspects would assist the police to conduct investigations into the fire outbreak.He claimed that the eight were arrested because they were the first to have spotted the fire.According to Mr Fati, the suspects claimed to have spotted the fire after they had allegedly heard a massive explosion from a hair dressing salon within the market.He said the suspects also admitted to have made attempts to put out the fire with an extinguisher before alerting the GNFS.When the Daily Graphic visited the scene yesterday, fire personnel were still at work trying to put out the fire, which was still burning in some parts of the market.Some victims of the fire had gathered at the main entrance to the market and were impatiently waiting for the fire personnel to finish their work so that they (victims) could go in and know their fate.While they waited, some wailed, while others called on God to get them out of the predicament.“God, if we have committed any sin as a country, please have mercy on us. Please do not turn your back on us. Let not our enemies smile while we bow down our heads in tears,†Mr Kwesi Owusu, a victim of the fire, prayed.According to Mr Owusu, popularly known as Wofa, almost all the items in his two cosmetic shops had been destroyed by the inferno.Other victims of the fire heaped curses and insults on “the alleged suspects†whom they claimed were the same people behind the Kantamanto Market fire.Madam Patience Debrah, a second-hand clothes seller, believed the incident was not an accident but “a calculated attempt by some people who want to destroy Ghanaâ€.“Why shouldn’t l accuse people? First, it was Kantamanto, then the Kinbu Market, followed by the Konkomba Market and now Makola. God will punish them one by one,†she said.Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Deputy Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, Mr Billy Anaglate, said the effect of the fire would have been more disastrous if the fire officers had not intervened.He conceded that there had been difficulty accessing the market but said the officers were technically astute enough to work their way around it.Meanwhile, the government has tasked the National Security Coordinator to fast-track investigations into the numerous fire outbreaks at markets across the country.There were about six fire outbreaks at major markets in Accra in the first quarter of 2013.Some government officials and a number of individuals now suspect the market infernos to be cases of arson.A Deputy Information Minister, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, told Citi News that the President was concerned about the development because the series of fires “create room for some concern, and based on that the President directed the National Security to commence investigationsâ€.He sympathised with all those who had fallen victim to the fires and said the government could only urge the National Security to carry out investigations as quickly as possible because it was becoming too much.He stressed that the government is “really, really concernedâ€.Daily Graphic
Following the fire outbreak at the Makola Number Two Market, Agbogloshie, eight security personnel have been arrested to help the police in their investigations into the incident.The suspects, whose identities were not disclosed for security reasons, are being kept at the Greater Accra Regional Police Command.All of them are from the Linparko Security Company in Accra.An explosion which occurred in one of the stores is suspected to have resulted in the fire outbreak.The fire, which was said to have started about 7:45 p.m., destroyed provisions, confectionery, cosmetic products, clothes, bags of sugar, large quantities of rice and other items worth millions of cedis.But for the intervention of personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the fire, which was brought under control at 2 a.m. yesterday, could have destroyed more property.While the fierce fire raged at the market, another fire broke out in a single wooden structure close to the Old Fadama Police Station, resulting in the death of a kayayo (head porter).The deceased, Surya Hamza, was burnt to death while she was asleep. Her body has been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary.The Makola Market fire brings to two the number of fire outbreaks recorded at the market in three years.According to Elikim Mawugbe, who claimed to be an eyewitness, personnel of the GNFS faced difficulty entering the market and that caused the fire to spread to the other parts of the market.She claimed that fire officers who got to the scene first were unable to fight the fire as a result of the difficulty in accessing the market.The Accra Regional Police Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Frank Adu Fati, told the Daily Graphic that the eight suspects would assist the police to conduct investigations into the fire outbreak.He claimed that the eight were arrested because they were the first to have spotted the fire.According to Mr Fati, the suspects claimed to have spotted the fire after they had allegedly heard a massive explosion from a hair dressing salon within the market.He said the suspects also admitted to have made attempts to put out the fire with an extinguisher before alerting the GNFS.When the Daily Graphic visited the scene yesterday, fire personnel were still at work trying to put out the fire, which was still burning in some parts of the market.Some victims of the fire had gathered at the main entrance to the market and were impatiently waiting for the fire personnel to finish their work so that they (victims) could go in and know their fate.While they waited, some wailed, while others called on God to get them out of the predicament.“God, if we have committed any sin as a country, please have mercy on us. Please do not turn your back on us. Let not our enemies smile while we bow down our heads in tears,†Mr Kwesi Owusu, a victim of the fire, prayed.According to Mr Owusu, popularly known as Wofa, almost all the items in his two cosmetic shops had been destroyed by the inferno.Other victims of the fire heaped curses and insults on “the alleged suspects†whom they claimed were the same people behind the Kantamanto Market fire.Madam Patience Debrah, a second-hand clothes seller, believed the incident was not an accident but “a calculated attempt by some people who want to destroy Ghanaâ€.“Why shouldn’t l accuse people? First, it was Kantamanto, then the Kinbu Market, followed by the Konkomba Market and now Makola. God will punish them one by one,†she said.Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Deputy Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, Mr Billy Anaglate, said the effect of the fire would have been more disastrous if the fire officers had not intervened.He conceded that there had been difficulty accessing the market but said the officers were technically astute enough to work their way around it.Meanwhile, the government has tasked the National Security Coordinator to fast-track investigations into the numerous fire outbreaks at markets across the country.There were about six fire outbreaks at major markets in Accra in the first quarter of 2013.Some government officials and a number of individuals now suspect the market infernos to be cases of arson.A Deputy Information Minister, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, told Citi News that the President was concerned about the development because the series of fires “create room for some concern, and based on that the President directed the National Security to commence investigationsâ€.He sympathised with all those who had fallen victim to the fires and said the government could only urge the National Security to carry out investigations as quickly as possible because it was becoming too much.He stressed that the government is “really, really concernedâ€.Daily Graphic
A National Analytical Report of the 2010 Population and Housing Census was on Wednesday launched in Accra, with the aim of providing Government and stakeholders with current data to address socio-economic issues.The report, which promises to provide the basis for assessing the achievements of various policies and interventions, is also expected to serve as the platform for comparing Ghana’s demographic characteristics with that of other countries.It will also provide the basis for comparison of future censuses.Speaking at the launch Dr Philomena Nyarko, Acting Government Statistician, announced that a replicate of the report would be sent to the regions for discussion.She expressed gratitude to Government and development partners for providing technical and financial assistance for the project.The analytical report is said to contain in-depth analysis of various topics covered in the 2010 Census including Disability; Information, Communication and Technology; and Agriculture which were not covered in previous censuses.The report is being published two and a half years after the “census night†and more than a year after the final Population and Housing Census was released in May 2011.Dr Bernard Coquelin, an Official of the United Nations Population Fund, called for the timely release of census reports to make them relevant for evidence-based policies and programmes.He said though findings in the analytical report were positive, the document hid the existing marked regional and district disparities.Dr Coquelin called for related evidence-based interventions and investments to remove the disparities.“With the new National Development Medium Term Strategy being formulated, Ghana has the opportunity to use the revealed regional disparities evidence from the 2010 Census as the basis for a human-centred development strategy to eliminate regional disparities while targeting growth,†he said.Dr Coquelin expressed confidence that Ghana could achieve the feat, stressing that the country has the rich tradition of development planning both at the national and district levels.“With the continual availability of traditional resources and new ones being discovered... I see Ghana ready to shift into the new dimension-preparation for and utilisation of the four-decade demographic dividend... and population bonus mentioned earlier for rapid development with the potential benefit of removing regional and district disparities in levels of development,†he added.He said some positive highlights of the Analytical Report indicated that literacy in Ghana had improved with 74 per cent of those who are 11 years and more reported to be literate.Dr Coquelin added that since 2000 access to improved sanitation over the last 10 years with the proportion of dwelling units with access to water closet had doubled.He said the report put the current average number of children per couple in Ghana at four.“With increased investments in Family Planning Services this could be reduced to two per couple,†he added.Dr Coquelin expressed the hope that the progress would present the opportunity for the country to enjoy the benefits of population bonus, which lasts for 40 years.He underscored the value of providing adequate investment in education, health, environment, job creation and good governance.GNA
A National Analytical Report of the 2010 Population and Housing Census was on Wednesday launched in Accra, with the aim of providing Government and stakeholders with current data to address socio-economic issues.The report, which promises to provide the basis for assessing the achievements of various policies and interventions, is also expected to serve as the platform for comparing Ghana’s demographic characteristics with that of other countries.It will also provide the basis for comparison of future censuses.Speaking at the launch Dr Philomena Nyarko, Acting Government Statistician, announced that a replicate of the report would be sent to the regions for discussion.She expressed gratitude to Government and development partners for providing technical and financial assistance for the project.The analytical report is said to contain in-depth analysis of various topics covered in the 2010 Census including Disability; Information, Communication and Technology; and Agriculture which were not covered in previous censuses.The report is being published two and a half years after the “census night†and more than a year after the final Population and Housing Census was released in May 2011.Dr Bernard Coquelin, an Official of the United Nations Population Fund, called for the timely release of census reports to make them relevant for evidence-based policies and programmes.He said though findings in the analytical report were positive, the document hid the existing marked regional and district disparities.Dr Coquelin called for related evidence-based interventions and investments to remove the disparities.“With the new National Development Medium Term Strategy being formulated, Ghana has the opportunity to use the revealed regional disparities evidence from the 2010 Census as the basis for a human-centred development strategy to eliminate regional disparities while targeting growth,†he said.Dr Coquelin expressed confidence that Ghana could achieve the feat, stressing that the country has the rich tradition of development planning both at the national and district levels.“With the continual availability of traditional resources and new ones being discovered... I see Ghana ready to shift into the new dimension-preparation for and utilisation of the four-decade demographic dividend... and population bonus mentioned earlier for rapid development with the potential benefit of removing regional and district disparities in levels of development,†he added.He said some positive highlights of the Analytical Report indicated that literacy in Ghana had improved with 74 per cent of those who are 11 years and more reported to be literate.Dr Coquelin added that since 2000 access to improved sanitation over the last 10 years with the proportion of dwelling units with access to water closet had doubled.He said the report put the current average number of children per couple in Ghana at four.“With increased investments in Family Planning Services this could be reduced to two per couple,†he added.Dr Coquelin expressed the hope that the progress would present the opportunity for the country to enjoy the benefits of population bonus, which lasts for 40 years.He underscored the value of providing adequate investment in education, health, environment, job creation and good governance.GNA
Mr. Mahama Ayariga, Minister of Information and Media Relations, on Wednesday said government would collaborate with the Australian High Commission towards the development of Ghana.“I am looking forward to my ministry and your office exploring possible areas of collaboration towards the development of the country,†he said.Mr Ayariga said Australia has considerable expertise in mining and Ghana looks forward to the transfer of technology to the benefit of the country.“In the area of mining, I am looking forward to a greater collaboration between the two countries,†he stressed, when the Australian High Commissioner, Madam Joanna Adamson paid a courtesy call on him in Accra on Wednesday.Mr Ayariga said relations between Ghana and Australia had come a long way and expressed the hope that the ties would be strengthened.“I am looking forward to the two countries working together in the dissemination of accurate information,†he saidMadam Adamson said relations between Australia and Ghana had existed for many years and looked forward to strengthening of the ties. GNA
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