Fires in Ghana: We know the next one is coming

Ghana has a prevention problem. Each time a major market goes up in flames or a residential block is reduced to rubble, the public conversation follows a familiar script. Sympathy is extended. Committees are set up. Relief items are distributed. Investigations are promised. Then, quietly, we return to business as usual until the next fire reminds us that nothing fundamental has changed. Most fires in Ghana are not acts of fate, but acts of omission.

Electrical faults, unsafe wiring, and illegal connections are a leading cause of fires. Congested urban design, especially in major markets, creates conditions where a small spark becomes a national disaster. The use of gas cylinders in enclosed commercial spaces increases risk. Access routes for fire tenders are often blocked or non-existent. Basic fire safety infrastructure, such as extinguishers, alarms, and sprinklers, is either absent or non-functional in many public buildings. Ghana's legal framework gives the state the authority to inspect premises, enforce fire precautions, and advise on compliance. Buildings are occupied before inspection. Markets expand beyond approved layouts. Electrical systems are improvised. Enforcement is inconsistent at best and absent at worst.

Ghana should make automatic fire sprinkler systems mandatory for all high risk and high density structures. This includes markets, shopping centres, fuel stations, warehouses, hotels, and multi storey residential buildings. No building should be occupied without a valid fire safety certification. No market should operate without periodic inspection and renewal of certification.