A young man has been devastated after his shop at Kumasi-Tafo Mile 4, near the Hisense shop, was consumed by fire, reportedly caused by a fireworks display celebrating the New Year on January 1, 2025.
In a video shared on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, the roadside shop is seen engulfed in flames, leaving its contents reduced to ashes.
According to the victim, this tragedy marks a terrible start to the year.
In the video, the victim is heard lamenting that he had opened the shop less than a month before the unfortunate incident occurred.
"This year has caused me a lot. At about 2 a.m. yesterday [1st January], boys burnt my shop as they fired knockouts. My shop has been burnt to ashes less than a month after I opened it. Everything is completely destroyed. I am going to start life afresh."
Ban on the importation of firecrackers
In 1999, Parliament adopted a Legislative Instrument (LI) prohibiting the importation of certain firecrackers and display shells.
The LI, "Export and Import (Prohibition of Importation), 1999," conferred on the Minister of Trade the authority to ban the importation of firecrackers (knockouts), display shells, artillery shells, and ball and canister shells.
It took effect on Thursday, December 16, 1999.
Offenders were liable, upon summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding five million cedis [now GH₵500] or a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both.
The LI, which resulted in heated and lengthy debates, was intended to give legal effect to an earlier Executive Instrument issued by the Ministry of Trade and Industry in July.
Injuries from firecrackers
Seventeen people reported sight-threatening injuries at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra following the misuse of firecrackers, popularly referred to as knockouts, during the Christmas celebrations. All received emergency treatment, though the majority would eventually lose sight in one or both eyes.
Dr. Stephen Akafo, Acting Head of the Ophthalmology Unit of the hospital, disclosed this in an interview. He explained that personnel from the unit often had to abandon regular cases to perform emergency surgeries on victims in a bid to save their eyesight. Unfortunately, most cases were severe, and the operations could not restore their sight.
Dr. Akafo cited a tragic case where a boy lost sight in both eyes after a bottle containing a lit firecracker exploded in his face. The firecracker had initially failed to explode, and as the boy bent over the bottle to investigate, it detonated.
He also mentioned the heartbreaking case of a two-year-old child who lost her sight when an unknown individual threw a firecracker into her face as her mother was feeding her.
A 17-year-old victim, David Antah, who lost sight in his right eye, recounted that he was buying food on Tuesday night when someone threw a firecracker into his face.
Dr. Akafo explained that the explosion of a firecracker near someone's face is enough to rupture the eyeball. In such cases, the chances of restoring sight are minimal.
He urged the government to immediately enforce a ban on the use of firecrackers to prevent further harm.
A shop caught fire at Kumasi-Tafo Mile 4, near the Hisense shop, reportedly due to a firework display celebrating the entry into the New Year last night. pic.twitter.com/oxBajDRDmr
— EDHUB🌍ℹ (@eddie_wrt) January 1, 2025
A young man whose boutique was burnt less than two hours into 2025 due to a firework display set off by some individuals celebrating the New Year laments as he shares how he is going to start all over again.
— EDHUB🌍ℹ (@eddie_wrt) January 1, 2025
According to him, the shop is new, having been opened less than a… https://t.co/WPNnGSwyBG pic.twitter.com/RnjyY6HMXj
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