Conspiracies & Rumours Behind Ghana’s Market Fires

Recently a fire broke out in Makola Market No2. SpyGhana Reported “Two days ago, we had the misfortune of another market fire under circumstances as bizarre as the previous ones spread across Accra and Kumasi. It is instructive that the latest one struck before the dust and political controversy generated by the Kantamanto fire settled down.

We have not observed any attempt to investigate the Kantamanto Market fire outbreak anyway; certainly not when all the tell-tale pointers that could help the investigators have all been cleared from the fire scene under the instructions of state agents. Yet, such agents have been so vociferous in the aftermath of the fires that, question marks have been rightly spun around their conduct and posturing.” read more

There are many speculations as to the causes behind the fire and many are certain that the recent fire was purposely caused due to the fact explosions were heard. The have been fire outbreaks in Konkomba Market, Dome Market, Sodom and Gomorrah, Kantamanto and Makola Number two, near Agbobloshie Market.

Also notice how these fire outbreaks only occur during the night when Ghana’s is at it’s coolest and there aren’t many people around. A very similar incident happened in Ivory Coast, shortly after the burning a mall was built right over the market.

Most people think it is no surprise that such fires will occur in the wake of a growing spending power Ghana, with more retail shops being built everywhere, with major European and American retail chains and designer brands looking to enter a growing lucrative Ghanaian market. After all, how successful will be the sales of your typical Gucci bag if one can get it from the market for a lot cheaper.

Let’s not forget these mainstream brands are also going neck to neck with Chinese imports, and where is the most common place to find chinese goods, phones, fabrics, clothes, and more, yep, the burning markets. Some market retailers are aware of the backdoor deals needed in order for their business to operate, and they themselves know they are at some what under attack by competition. At the end of the day a conspiracy is just a conspiracy until it is proven wrong. But as Ghanaweb reported “We have not observed any attempt to investigate the Kantamanto Market fire outbreak anyway”.

The bottom line is thousands of Ghanaians lives are ruined and affected by these fires, many of whom operate legit businesses, and many more are fully aware this is not a sudden natural cause for all these fires to occur in such a short space and time simultaneously. The sad part is the limited effort by the government to bring resolutions to this issue makes their role in these fires more suspicious. Where is Anas Aremeyaw Anas when you need him.

See images captured by Emmanual Bobbie of the aftermath of Kantamanto market burning.