The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Elizabeth Sackey has paid an impromptu visit to Dogo Beach, a temporary fishing bay for the fisher folk at Jamestown, following a fire outbreak this afternoon.
The Mayor’s visit aimed to express solidarity and offer support to the affected community members amidst the tragic incident.
The beachfront stretch, located opposite the Fire Service Training School and colloquially known as Dogo Beach, has been serving as a temporary refuge for the fisherfolk who were relocated due to the ongoing construction of the Jamestown Fishing Harbour.
Speaking during the visit on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, the Mayor expressed her deep sympathies to those affected by the fire outbreak and acknowledged the resilience of the fisher folk while assuring them of the city’s unwavering support in their time of need.
“I am deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident at Dogo Beach. My heart goes out to all the individuals and families impacted by this tragedy…Rest assured, the city is mobilising all available resources to provide immediate assistance and support to the affected residents,” she said.
The Mayor who expressed empathy towards the affected residents, assured them of the Assembly’s commitment to establishing a comprehensive compensation plan to alleviate the financial burden faced by those impacted by the fire.
She emphasised the importance of community solidarity in times of crisis and called on residents to come together to support one another during the recovery process.
She urged residents to be vigilant, and responsible and take proactive measures to reduce fire hazards within their homes, emphasising the importance of minimising fire loads to mitigate the risk of fire outbreaks in communities.
Addressing concerns regarding the delay in firefighters’ arrival at Dogo Beach, Assistant Divisional Officer at the Ghana National Fire Service, Christabel Love clarified that the team had been actively engaged in extinguishing another blaze that had engulfed Korle Bu and its surrounding areas.
She said firefighters counted over 800 wooden structures meant for commercial and domestic purposes razed in the fire and used the opportunity to advise residents to reduce the amount of fire loads in their apartments to reduce the chance of fire breaking out in the communities.