Echoes of his childhood, anguished cries of traders, smouldering market stalls, and the loss of livelihoods still haunt Samuel Kojo Brace, a respected Ghanaian broadcaster and the driving force behind The Kojo Brace Initiative.
A native of Ahanta, Brace’s experiences with market fires have now ignited a solemn, unwavering resolve: to prevent such tragedies from recurring in the Ahanta West Municipality of Ghana’s Western Region.
Perhaps the final catalyst, and a deeply troubling revelation, was learning that the bustling Agona Nkwanta Market, where thousands of traders conduct business daily, did not have a single fire extinguisher. For Kojo Brace, this wasn’t just a glaring oversight; it was a ticking time bomb. A threat to not only livelihoods, but to lives.
“It’s unacceptable,” he said. “And a complete recipe for disaster.”
From Childhood Vendor to National Voice
As a boy, Samuel Kojo Brace was one of many children who sold tomatoes, pepper, garden eggs, polythene bags, and other petty goods in the market. Sometimes, dinner came from the market. It was a place of energy, opportunity, and for him, cherished memories.
But alongside the excitement were harrowing scenes: flames devouring a chop bar in the market, with the operator wailing in despair, and livelihoods reduced to ash. Some victims never recovered.
Now a prominent journalist with Multimedia Group, one of Ghana’s leading broadcasting networks, Samuel Kojo Brace frequently receives reports on market fires across the country. Each report, he admits, rekindles painful memories.
“Every time I receive such reports, I think of my childhood in Agona. I worry deeply for the victims. I know what that pain looks like.”
The Brace Initiative: Fire Safety With Purpose
Determined to act, Brace launched The Kojo Brace Initiative, a development-focused effort aimed at transforming communities across Ahanta West. One of its primary goals: fire prevention and safety education in public spaces, especially markets.
Upon hearing of the fire safety gap in Agona Nkwanta, Kojo Brace wasted no time.
“I immediately made arrangements to visit the market. Thankfully, the Ahanta West Municipal Fire Command accepted our request for a fire safety outreach in the market. The Market Queens and traders were equally concerned, and welcomed me on board,” he said in an interview.
Together with the Municipal Fire Service, The Kojo Brace Initiative joined a day-long fire safety sensitisation programme at the market. Dozens of traders were educated on the causes of fire, preventive measures, and emergency response.
Station Officer II Ebenezer Essuman of the Agona Nkwanta Fire Station, part of the officers who led the training, called the intervention “timely and critical.”
“The turnout was impressive,” he said. “The traders were enthusiastic and eager to apply what they learned. We must make such sessions regular to build a culture of fire safety.”
Traders Speak: “We Feel Safer Now”
The impact was immediate.
“We often hear of market fires on the radio or TV,” said one market woman. “It’s heartbreaking to watch someone’s life savings go up in flames, sometimes over something preventable. This education has opened our eyes. We’re better prepared now,” one trader shared.
Another trader, Auntie Aggie, remarked, “We’re grateful to our son, Kojo Brace, for leading his group – The Kojo Brace Initiative – to respond to a need of this market. Giving us training on fighting fire and also supplying the market with fire extinguishers is something remarkable he’s done, and we’re so grateful he has remembered his mothers in the market. We know that this will help us a lot”.
The day ended with the donation of eleven fire extinguishers, which will be strategically installed throughout the market.
A Vision Beyond One Market
For Brace, this is just the beginning. He intends to replicate the fire safety sensitisation programme across satellite markets within Ahanta West.
“The market is a safety net for many,” he said. “It keeps families afloat, keeps young people from turning to crime, and sustains entire communities. We must protect it. That is my promise, and my motivation.”
Samuel Kojo Brace’s initiative is a powerful reminder that development starts with empathy and action. In a country where preventable market fires continue to wreak havoc, his story offers not just hope, but a practical model for community-led safety reform.
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