KMA mayor foots medical bills of fire victims

A 22 year old, Baabue Adebaweni and a 4 year old boy, Salam Atimbila sustained various degrees of injuries from the fire outbreaks at "Check Point" a Santasi suburb in Kumasi over the weekend.

Narrating his plight, Baabue who is also called Akwesi within the vicinity, said he woke up from his sleep around 11 pm, Friday evening when his room was suddenly engulfed by the fires.

"I didn't know what to do at that moment. Suddenly I was caught up in the blaze, so I decided to run out through the burning fires to save my life" he narrates.

"It was the only option, if I had to survive" he added.

"Even though I am severely burnt, I thank God for my life", the sorrowful, Bolgatanga migrant said.

According to Baabue, he relocated to the place to try to make ends meet as he engages in menial jobs to survive.

Mother of 4 year old Salam, Madam Lamisi Atimbila whose son, sustained injuries to one of his eyes, tearfully recounts that, "my husband and I traveled from the north with our 3 children about a month ago to look for jobs so we can cater for the kids"

"Here we were told we will pay Gh10 every three months, so we thought staying here and managing would be better than merely surviving up north where there is virtually no means of survival". She says.

"I work at a chop bar and my husband rides a motor king. And that's how we make money to take care of the kind" she adds.

"Unfortunately, we were caught up in the fires which eventually hurt one eye of our son, Salam". She says.

"My husband has taken him to the hospital and we pray it's not that serious" she hoped.

These came to light when, the Mayor of Kumasi, Hon. Kojo Bonsu visited the area to donate items to the affected victims.

The items include, mattresses, rechargeable lights, drinking cups, buckets, basins, mosquito nets and coils, blankets as well as mounted tents for them. Hon. Bonsu, made cash donations to the two, promising to foot all their medical bills.

"I feel sorry for you, it's a very sad situation for you, I know but I promise to foot all the bills covering your medication till you recover" he assured. Over 800 people were displaced as the fires razed down about 200 structures at the Check Point, a suburb near Santasi in Kumasi.

He charged the inhabitants to desist from indiscriminate illegal power connections and also be careful with fires, especially, this harmattan season.

The Mayor was full of praise for the Ghana Fire Service for their spontaneous response to distress calls, which he says was prompt to save the situation from further havoc.