Kantamanto Market Fire Sparks Political Allegations of Sabotage

The catastrophic fire that ravaged the Kantamanto market has taken a political turn, with Ekow Vincent Assafuah, Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, accusing political actors of deliberately sabotaging the market for ulterior motives.

In an interview on Asempa FM, Assafuah suggested that the fire was no accident but rather a calculated attack designed to inflict severe damage. Drawing from his own investigation, the deputy minister claimed that the fire was set in such a manner that it would leave no chance for the Fire Service to salvage any goods, exacerbating the destruction.

Assafuah went further to allege that the person behind the sabotage was a polling station agent for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Odododiodoo constituency, identified as Quaicoo, also known as Oboy. The minister claimed that Quaicoo had made several concerning statements about Kantamanto before and after the 2024 elections, including ominous remarks such as, “As for Kantamanto, we will all lose it.” He alleged that these statements were made to others at the market, potentially pointing to a premeditated attempt to cause harm linked to political tensions.

The fire has devastated the Kantamanto market, a vital economic hub for traders and the surrounding community. Many are questioning whether the blaze was indeed politically motivated or simply the result of negligence. Regardless, the scale of the destruction has left both business owners and the wider public devastated, as they now grapple with the aftermath of the tragic event.

This political angle raises further concerns about the volatility of local markets and the use of sabotage as a tool in political rivalries. As investigations continue, the real motives behind the fire and its far-reaching consequences remain uncertain.