Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo (2nd from left), Greater Accra Regional Minister; Alfred Kotey Ashie (right), MP for Odododiodioo Constituency, and Paul Oblie Laryea (left), NDC Constituency Chairman of Odododiodioo, responding to cheers from some traders during a visit to Kantamanto in Accra. Picture: EDNA SALVO KOTEY

Kantamanto traders happy with support from govt, others

Timothy Ngnenbe Entertainment Feb - 22 - 2025 , 09:57 3 minutes read

They have, however, appealed for more support to help rebuild their structures and bring their livelihood back to life within the shortest possible time.

The Chairman of the Kantamanto Traders Association, Rev. Opoku Afreh, who made that call, said although the bustle within the Kantamanto commercial enclave was picking up, financial support from the government in the form of soft loans would facilitate the process.

“President John Dramani Mahama invited the leadership of this market and gave us GH¢1 million, which we will be sharing among the about 8,000 traders who were directly affected by the fire outbreak.

“The Or Foundation, an NGO based in Accra, has also donated $1 million to support the rebuilding of our market while many political figures and philanthropists have also come to our aid. But we call for more to be done because we are still far from the recovery point,” he said.

Rev. Afreh made the call when the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Akweley Ocloo, paid a working visit to the Kantamanto Market to interact with the traders and discuss the government’s plans for resuscitating their businesses.

Context

The Kantamanto Market was razed down by fire in the early hours of January 2, 2025.

The market, known for its vibrant atmosphere and diverse range of goods, was reduced to ashes by the fire, leaving traders to count their losses.

Following the incident, high-profile personalities including President Mahama, the Vice-President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang; and former Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, visited the area to commiserate and support the traders.

Support received

In the aftermath of the fire disaster at Kantamanto, President Mahama donated GH¢1 million to the traders as initial support to ameliorate the pain of their loss.

In addition to a cash donation of $1 million, The Or Foundation also presented 1,000 bags of cement to help in the construction of a protective wall around the market.

The NGO has also started giving cash amounts of GH₵2,500 to each of the 8,000 affected traders at the market. As of Thursday, Rev. Afreh confirmed that more than 4,000 of the traders had received their money from the NGO.

Assurance

The regional minister assured the traders that the government would, within the shortest possible time, announce a support system to breathe a new lease of life into their businesses.

Ms Ocloo said the support programme would include financial arrangements for soft loans, collaboration with the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to build robust fire safety regimes in the market and improved access to utilities and security.

“As your regional minister, I will always be with you to ensure that you overcome your challenges. The Women’s Bank will be established soon and we will ensure that the women in this Kantamanto Market benefit fully from it,” she said.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Odododiodio, Alfred Nii Ashie Kotey, also assured the traders of continued support to recover their businesses.

“I will make sure that I lead the way to facilitate Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) loans for all the affected traders,” he said.