Over 700 displaced as fire ravages slum at Afful Nkwanta

More than 700 slum dwellers at Afful Nkwanta in the Oforikrom Municipality of the Ashanti Region have been displaced after a devastating fire swept through their homes on Saturday afternoon.

The fire, which broke out on Saturday, January 17, 2026, razed hundreds of makeshift wooden structures used as residences, leaving victims, mostly head porters and scrap dealers, without shelter or belongings.

5,585 fire outbreaks were recorded between January to November 2025 – GNFS

According to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), between 300 and 400 structures were destroyed in the blaze.

Speaking to Citi News, the Acting Asokwa Municipal Fire Commander, ADO I Ebenezer Graham, said the service received a distress call at about 4:16 pm.

Watch the moment a fire service tender overturned while speeding to fire scene

“We departed with our appliance and rushed to the scene. However, access to the area was a major challenge, and there was a mob attack against our personnel. The structures gutted are about 300 to 400,” he stated.

See the video below:

Over 700 slum dwellers at Afful Nkwanta in Oforikrom have lost everything after a devastating fire razed their homes. With no support yet, victims, mostly head porters and scrap dealers are now picking through the ashes, salvaging metal scraps just to survive.#ChannelOneNews pic.twitter.com/5tCq799baI

— ChannelOne TV (@Channel1TVGHA) January 18, 2026