Dagomba line bounces back

THE DAGOMBA Line, a huge slum for squatters in Kumasi, which was ravaged by fire, seems to have bounced back barely 48 hours after the disaster.

The fire swept through the community on Saturday evening, consuming about 500 shops and rendering 5000 and over people homeless, in the process.

But on Monday morning, the debris had been cleared from the community, which is inhabited mostly by headporters, and new structures were being reconstructed.

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, who was visiting the place to assess the level of damage, was shocked to see new structures springing up fast.

He instantly admonished the squatters to stop the construction works and rather visit his office for a meeting, regarding how the construction should go.

Osei-Mensah said the building of the structures, especially wiring and the place that the structures should be placed, have be done properly to avert future fire outbreaks.

According to him, because the place was not properly planned, fire fighters endured a lot of difficulties before they could get access and douse the inferno.

“Structures were placed in roads so the fire fighters struggled before they got access to the place. This is the cause of the huge damage recorded”, he bemoaned.

Kan Dapaah, the Minister for National Security, who was with the regional minister, described the Dagomba Line fire as a national disaster, urging the victims to take heart.

Nana Agyeman Prempeh, NADMO Boss, who was also present, said his outfit would thoroughly assess the damage caused and support the victims appropriately.