Markets Needs Security from Fire Incidents

Fire incidents in the big markets are fast becoming a normal phenomenon.

Recently, some big markets of certain big cities in Cameroon have suffered from fire disasters. There are some of these markets that these incidents have occurred more than once.
Last year the Douala Central Market had a fire incident after which was the Tiko main market and then the Bafoussam main market. Less than six months after the Central Market incident, it has exploded again at the Congo market in Douala. Each time it happens the authorities hold crisis meetings.
After the incident of Congo market, now all eyes are looking at the Mboppi Market which is one of the biggest markets in Central Africa, to be the next to suffer from fire incident.
Talking to the President of Mboppi Market, Alice Maguedjio epse Ntanke on security measures they have put in place, in an outbreak of fire, she said they do a lot of sensitisation and cooperation. She added that they have tried to check out their electrical connections and what is left is to be done by the Douala City Council which according to her is not taking up its responsibilities in the Mboppi Market. Maguedjio said after the Central market crisis, the president of an association which is a civil protection association A.E.B.A which fights against fire incidents in the markets, carried out some studies on all the markets in Douala and how to put in place structures to fight fire incidents. The plan she said was brought to them and they all accepted but asked him to meet government which for the past five months she said the Government Delegate has never given him utterance. “If Mboppi is in flames it will be the entire town which is in flames so the City Council should better take up their responsibility”, she said. She added that the fire fighting brigade Commissioner has been contacted but he too has not reacted.
Another market CT visited was the Sandaga market where the head of traders Kong Oscar Oreal, proposed that to protect against fire incidents, a post of AES-SONEL should be constructed in each market so that the technicians control connection of current in the market and will be the ones to do any installations. He also blamed the traders for being corrupt because they pay much money to the market registrar to construct where they are not supposed to therefore making circulation in the market difficult. He said in the situation of fire incident the fire fighters will find it difficult because of inaccessibility. He added it is better for 10 shops blocking passage to be destroyed though it hurts than 100 shops to suffer.
EFFA TAMBENKONGHO
If all markets had circulation space!!!