North Industrial Area fire: AMA demolishes Kofikrom structures to create access routes

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), with support from the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces on Thursday, October 1, 2026 has removed unauthorised structures at Kofikrom in the North Industrial Area after occupants failed to comply with a May 19, 2026 directive to vacate the area. The exercise, which intensified following a major fire that swept through the settlement and affected parts of Duraplast, targeted wooden structures and other temporary structures that had taken over portions of the road and obstructed access for fire tenders and emergency vehicles. The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, who ordered the removal said the exercise was not a spontaneous action triggered solely by the fire, explaining that the squatters had been given prior notice and a final deadline of May 19 to leave the area. He disclosed that structures within the settlement had also been marked to signal the impending exercise, but many occupants remained on the site despite the warnings from the Assembly. According to the Mayor, the consequences of the continued occupation became evident during the fire outbreak when fire tenders, water tankers and other emergency equipment struggled to gain access to parts of the affected area because the road had been taken over by makeshift structures. He said the Assembly was determined to clear the entire stretch and prevent the reoccupation of the area, stressing that access roads within industrial zones had to remain open at all times for emergency and public safety purposes. The Mayor said that although the exercises often attracted public criticism, the fire outbreak had demonstrated the risks associated with allowing unauthorised settlements to obstruct roads and emergency access routes. He explained that the exercise was intended not only to remove the structures but also to protect lives, businesses and adjoining industrial properties from future emergencies that could be worsened by poor access. The Commanding Officer of the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Osei Amponsah, said military personnel had been deployed to support the operation by clearing structures that impeded the movement of fire tenders and other emergency vehicles. He said the temporary structures had become a major obstacle during the fire response and had to be removed to create sufficient space for firefighting and rescue operations. Lt. Col. Amponsah said the military’s role formed part of its broader disaster-response mandate and that personnel would continue to support the relevant state agencies to ensure that the affected area remained accessible and safe. In response, the Mayor assured that the Assembly would take measures to ensure that squatters did not return.