By Ashiadey Dotse
Lawyer and communication specialist, Zakaria Tanko Musah, has called for individuals whose negligence causes fire outbreaks, such as the recent Timber Market fire and the incident at Lartebiokorshie, to be jailed and made to pay for the damages.
Speaking in an interview on GTV’s Breakfast Show on Monday, September 15, 2025, Mr. Tanko expressed frustration at the recurring nature of fire incidents in the country. He stressed that issues such as poor electrical inspections, weak infrastructure, improper waste disposal, and lack of fire safety education have been raised many times, yet little has been done.
He noted that although Ghana’s criminal procedures make provisions for punishment in cases of negligence leading to harm, enforcement remains weak. According to him, prosecuting offenders and attaching their resources to pay for damages is the only way to deter others from acting with impunity.
The lawyer also criticized the media for abandoning such issues after the initial coverage, saying this allows investigations to stall without accountability. He insisted that fire safety communication must be intensified and that responsibility must rest on both individuals and the authorities in charge of infrastructure.
