Mr Clement Boateng, Vice President of GUTA, who led the delegation, said the donation was to help traders quickly resume their businesses and appealed to stakeholders, including financial institutions, government and philanthropists to support the reconstruction efforts.
“We are appealing to the government, philanthropists, the business community and financial institutions to assist our brothers and sisters here in rebuilding their shops and continuing their economic activities,” he said.
The Kantamanto market, known for its vibrant trade in used clothing, footwear and other goods, was engulfed in a devastating fire on late Wednesday night destroying shops and goods worth millions of Ghana cedis.
The incident has reignited calls for improved infrastructure and safety measures in Ghanaian markets which are the source of many livelihoods.
Mr Boateng called on financial institutions to reschedule loan repayment arrangements for affected traders to provide some relief.
He urged Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to collaborate with GUTA to introduce an insurance package for market traders to cushion them against such disasters in the future.
Mr Joseph Paddy, Director of Communication at GUTA, emphasised the need for well-structured markets to reduce risks and provide security for traders.
He noted that over 70 per cent of markets in Ghana were informal and appealed to the government to partner with the private sector to build modern market facilities.
“This is a huge opportunity for the government to collaborate with the private sector to develop well-structured markets, which will ensure the safety of traders and help generate revenue for national development,” he said.
Mr Paddy also highlighted the reluctance of insurance companies to provide coverage for traders, describing markets as high-risk areas and called for policy reforms to address the challenge.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the traders, Mr Michael Oppong, Chairman of the Kantamanto Used Clothes Association, expressed gratitude to GUTA and its importers for their support.
“On behalf of all traders at Kantamanto, we thank GUTA for their generosity and appeal to others to come to our aid. This market has sustained families and contributed significantly to the economy. We urge market vendors to avoid misinformation and respect their leaders to ensure harmony as we rebuild,” he added.
GNA
