Kantamanto Market in Accra, Ghana, is known as West Africa’s largest second-hand clothing market.
The bustling marketplace attracts thousands of traders and shoppers from across the region, offering a vast array of used clothing items.
The market processes an estimated 15 million pieces of donated clothing from around the world every week, making it a significant hub for the second-hand clothing trade.
Despite its vibrancy and economic significance in supporting the livelihoods of thousands of traders, artisans, and labourers, contributing significantly to Ghana’s informal economy, Kantamanto market has been a hot spot for devastating annual fire disasters, which place a huge cost on traders, as millions of Cedis are lost.
In an effort to address these devastating fires, an international NGO, OR Foundation, on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, partnered with the Ghana National Fire Service to train traders on fire safety, a crucial step towards preventing future fire outbreaks in the market.
This collaboration comes after the NGO’s support for the traders to rebuild their stalls with modernity instead of wooden structures, with proper wiring of electricity cables to prevent fire outbreaks.
The training programme aims to equip traders with the knowledge and skills necessary to prevent and respond to fires effectively.
Participants were taken through fire safety techniques such as fire prevention and awareness, fire extinguisher usage, electrical safety and fire prevention, fire safety in the workplace, kitchen and cooking fire safety.
The firefighters held a demonstration with some of the traders on how to use a fire extinguisher and other safety equipment to quench a fire.
Speaking after the training, the Greater Accra Regional Fire Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, CFO II Rashid Kwame Nisawu, cautioned the traders about turning their stalls into kitchens.
He requested the Kantamanto Market authorities to present committed individuals to be trained as fire wardens to provide safety cover for the market.
According to him, it has become necessary for the traders to provide independent water sources at vantage points at the Kantamanto Market for firefighting purposes.
He suggested to them the construction of mechanised boreholes to augment the fire hydrants situated at the markets.
He also suggested that they install a public address system to enhance the free sharing of information in the market.
CFO II Rashid Kwame Nisawu appealed to them to find a land to build a fire post, after which he will dispatch fire personnel to the market to provide 24-hour fire surveillance to enhance fire safety and timely response, adding that the fire post will provide a critical infrastructure for firefighting efforts and serve as a hub for fire safety training and education.
Vida Inkum, one of the participants who took part in the demonstration, praised OR Foundation for organising the training for them.
On her part, Leticia Pokua, another participant, said the training broadened her knowledge in fire safety.
Leticia promised to share the knowledge she acquired from the training with her friends. The OR Foundation has committed $1 million to support the rebuilding efforts at the Kantamanto Market.
The foundation’s recovery plan includes three key phases: developing strategies to prevent future fires and promote sustainable market practices.
The partnership between the OR Foundation and GNFS demonstrates the importance of collaboration in promoting fire safety and preventing disasters.
The joint initiative is a significant step towards creating a safer and more resilient Kantamanto Market.
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