Akim Oda Chief palace collapses

Akim Oda, the traditional capital of the Akyem Kotoku, in the Eastern Region, has been hit by another incident, as a portion of the chief palace has been razed down unexpectedly.

The building was earlier in a dilapidated state.

At about 14:30 hours on September 16, 2021, residents were astonished to see the dilapidated portion of the chief palace razed down and the cause immediately not determined.

But sources close to the palace told the Ghana News Agency, that the building had been a threat to nearby residents and were grateful nobody was hurt during the incident.

Looking at the residual edifice, some residents called on the Birim Central Municipal Assembly to pull down the remaining structure to prevent further disaster.

In a related development, officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Birim Central Municipality, said they were still counting the cost in last Tuesday’s fire disaster and meeting victims who had stalls and stores at the market for their details.

David Okyere, Birim Central Municipal NADMO Director, noted that the registration of affected persons would help in properly assessing and collecting accurate data for decision-making.

Alexander Akwasi Acquah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Akim Oda Constituency, has visited the fire scene and called on the traders to provide factual and accurate information to help the Assembly solicit support.

On September 13, 2021, at about 2050 hours, a devastating fire outbreak at the Akim Oda main market resulted in several losses of property. There was no casualty.

The items that got burnt included sewing machines, clothes, cosmetics, mattresses, household wares, electrical appliances, and food items.

Officials say investigations were still ongoing to unravel the cause of the fire outbreaks.