AMA sets up 7-member Committee to probe Makola fire

The committee has also been tasked to probe the integrity of the burnt building.

The Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah, said the committee is also expected to assess the extent of damage from the fire.

The committee will also “assess the integrity of the structure and whether it is fit to be there or has to be pulled down,” Mr. Sowah added.

The committee will consist of representatives from the Ghana Police, the Electricity Company of Ghana, the National Disaster Management Organisation, the Ghana Fire Service, the Ghana Water Company, the Ghana Armed Forces, and the AMA.

In the meantime, Mr. Sowah said, “the building is going to be cordoned off, and we will not allow any human activity around the building.”

The management of the fire has been marred by criticism of the Fire Service’s response to the incident.

During the fire outbreak on Monday, July 5, the Ghana National Fire Service initially went to the scene without water in their truck.

According to Ellis Robinson Oko, the PRO, there was no water flowing through the fire hydrant.

He said the Fire Service is not to blame for the nonfunctioning water hydrants that made it difficult for them to douse the fire.

He said the actions and inactions of some state agencies such as the Ghana Water Company, Electricity Company of Ghana, and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly make it difficult for the firefight.

Speaking on Accra-based Starr FM, he said "We didn't run out of water. The problem is all the fire hydrants didn't have water in them so we had to rely on water from circle and Alajo. It's the responsibility of the water company to manage the fire hydrants. We don’t manage fire hydrants.

"As at the time the fire happened, all the hydrants were not flowing. The water company didn't tell us why they shut it yesterday. We couldn't leave our duty to go ask Ghana Water Company why there was no water in our hydrants so we did what was required at the time and that's what we did. t’s rather unfortunate that everyone is blaming us but let’s look at the situation on the ground before blaming the fire service."