Sekondi Market Collapse Kills One Trader, Sparks Urgent Calls for Redevelopment
A tragic partial collapse of the dilapidated Sekondi Market on October 6, 2025, claimed the life of one female trader who sustained severe injuries, leaving dozens of vendors displaced and renewing desperate pleas from local leaders and merchants for the government to fulfill long-standing promises to rebuild the aging facility.
The incident occurred in the early afternoon at the fish trading enclave, a section of the market that has stood for over 20 years without major repairs, according to information gathered by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on October 8.
While many traders were absent during the collapse—avoiding potential mass casualties—the injured woman was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to her wounds.
The affected area was swiftly cordoned off by Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) officials, with the north gate closed to prevent further risks.
Sekondi MP Blay Nyamekye Armah made an emotional appeal during an interview with Channel One TV, urging President John Dramani Mahama, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, and Education Minister Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang to prioritize the redevelopment.
“H.E. President Mahama and Hon. Ato Forson, please have mercy on our market women, our mothers, who have suffered for 32 years…
People are dying, crying, and getting injured,” Armah pleaded, highlighting the market’s dire state after decades of neglect.
Traders echoed the MP’s frustration in interviews with Channel One TV, describing the market as “not good for human habitation” and pleading for immediate intervention to resume trading and settle debts.
One vendor lamented, “We’re pleading with the government to come to our aid… The government should immediately redevelop the market for us.”
Market Queen Mother Nana Krah confirmed the collapse happened during trading hours but noted many were absent, sparing a larger tragedy.
The Sekondi Market, a historic trading hub in the Western Region, has long been plagued by structural decay, with previous incidents like a January 2025 fire prompting early closures to prevent disasters.
The collapse has amplified calls for modernization, with Armah invoking divine mercy: “Sekondi is crying out. H.E. President John Dramani Mahama, please come and rebuild our market for us.”
As of October 9, 2025, no official response from the government has been issued.
The tragedy underscores broader infrastructure challenges in Ghana’s markets, where neglect has repeatedly endangered lives and livelihoods.
