Odawna Fire Left Me With Nothing – Widowed Trader Cries for Help

A widow in her late 60s whose livelihood was destroyed in the devastating Odawna Market fire has made an emotional appeal to the government and charitable organisations for urgent assistance after losing everything she owned.

Madam Esther Tibu, one of the victims of the June 29, 2026 fire at Odawna Market in Accra, said the blaze reduced her three shops to ashes, leaving her hopeless just months after the death of her husband.

Speaking to KPD online’s Maurice Otoo at the scene, the grieving trader revealed that the shops were her only source of income and had been financed through loans she was still struggling to repay.

The fire, which followed heavy flooding and reportedly destroyed more than 3,000 shops, has left thousands of traders counting their losses.

Madam Tibu estimated that goods worth about GH¢200,000 were destroyed in the inferno, wiping out her years of hard work and investment.

Fighting back tears, she said the tragedy has shattered her hopes of rebuilding her life and appealed to the government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and other well-meaning Ghanaians to come to her aid.

“I have lost everything. I am pleading with anyone who can help me in this difficult moment,” she said.

The Odawna Market disaster has sparked renewed calls for stronger fire prevention measures, improved drainage infrastructure, and emergency support for affected traders as many victims struggle to recover from the devastating losses.