Bushfire destroys 17 houses at Tromeso

Tromeso, (Brong Ahafo), 29 Jan. '99- Seventeen houses were destroyed when a bushfire engulfed Tromeso near Wenchi in Brong Ahafo region, on Monday, rendering 125 people homeless. The assembly member of the area, Mr Frimpong Mensah Kweku, said the bush fire swept through the town in the afternoon when many of the community members were on their farms. Property valued at 44.5 million cedis were destroyed. He called on the Wenchi district assembly, the district disaster management organisation, non-governmental organisations and philanthropists to go to the aid of the victims. The Assembly member called on the government to properly equip the fire service to enable it to discharge its duties effectively and said a report was made to the Wenchi Fire Service but they could reach the village only when the damage had already been done. Mr Apraku Gyan, an agriculture extension officer in the area, said many of the victims are farmers and called on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to send assistance.