Fire destroys Abuja slum in Accra

Dozens of shacks in a slummy area known as Abuja town near the CMB market in the Central business district of the national capital Accra have been burnt.

A portion of the market was also consumed by the fire which started late last night, eyewitnesses have said.

The cause of the fire is not yet known but the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, Prince Bill Anaglatey, told reporters at the scene that he was not surprised about the incident.

The slum is inhabited by mostly wanderer-girl head porters (Kayayei).

Most of the wooden shacks and structures have been totally decimated by the fire.

Tuesday’s fire incident is the umpteenth one following several others which already destroyed markets including Kantamanto, Agbogbloshie, Makola and the Kumasi Central market.

A forensic team of experts from the US recently came to Ghana at the request of President John Mahama to help investigate the rampant fires.

There were suspicions within government circles that some of the fires were arson attacks.

Two arson suspects are still being held by the State in connection with some of the fires.