The Greater Accra Regional Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Denis Nartey Adjarnor, has said areas affected by Tuesday’s fire outbreak behind the VVIP Station at Kwame Nkrumah Circle were never intended for residential or commercial use.
Speaking to JoyNews at the scene on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, Mr Adjarnor explained that the land was originally earmarked as a flower garden under the Circle Interchange redevelopment plan but was gradually encroached upon and converted into informal settlements and trading spaces.
While acknowledging the distress caused by the fire, he noted that the incident presents an opportunity for authorities to reclaim the land and restore it to its original purpose.
“Actually, this place is supposed to serve as a garden. It is supposed to be one of the gardens that will serve as beautification to the interchange, which has been allowed to grow into this state,” he said.
Read also: Fire erupts near VVIP station, Kwame Nkrumah Circle
Mr Adjarnor disclosed that NADMO had already served notice to occupants to vacate the area prior to the fire.
“Actually, the final date we gave them was 24th February,” he noted.
He added that the Authority intends to take advantage of the situation to prevent any reoccupation of the site.
“Since this has happened, we will use this as an opportunity to take over the place and declare this place a security zone for now. So nobody comes back to this place, and then we will construct it for its originally intended purpose,” he said.
The fire, which broke out in the early hours of Tuesday, destroyed several makeshift structures behind the VVIP Station, triggering panic among residents and commuters at the busy transport hub.
Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service were deployed to bring the blaze under control, while investigations are expected to determine its cause.
Kwame Nkrumah Circle remains one of Accra’s most heavily patronised transport interchanges, and city authorities, including the Accra Mayor, have indicated that renewed efforts will be made to curb encroachment and enforce planning and safety regulations.
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