Tema Community Centre gutted

Tema Community Centre was on Monday evening gutted by fire leading to the loss of properties worth thousands of Ghana Cedis.

The fire, which is said to have started from the caretaker’s room at about 1900 hours, destroyed personal effects of the caretaker, part of a restaurant and goods being kept there by some traders.

The 54- year- old centre, which is situated near the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) administrative building at Tema Community one, was built for recreation, town hall meetings but now houses the Tema Sanitation Court, National Association of Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) office, State Transport Company (STC) ticket office and other private entities.

According to eyewitness, the swift intervention by the Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority’s (GPHA) fire brigade prevented the fire from spreading to other offices.

Mr Issifu Salami told Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, Tema Metro Chief Executive (MCE), who toured the place said at about 2100 hours, he saw his wife’s room on fire and rushed inside to rescue his children. He said the fire escalated as he and other witnesses broke the door to his wife’s room.

The MCE said it was in the plan of the Assembly to revamp the centre noting that a review of expression of interest in the project is ongoing. He indicated that TMA would redevelop the place into nine to 11-storey recreational centre with adjourning car park facility to bring back night life in the Metropolis.

Mr Odamtten gave the assurance that before the take off of the redevelopment of the community centre, other structures would be constructed to house the organisations operating from the structure.