By Abdulai Zulkaninu
Residents of Singa in the North Gonja District of the Savannah Region are in deep sorrow following a devastating fire outbreak that destroyed twenty-one (21) homes, leaving thirty-three (33) people homeless.
Singa, a predominantly farming community with some trading activities, was thrown into chaos when the fire swept through several households, burning properties and livelihoods into ashes.
Speaking on behalf of the affected residents, community representative Noah Bugri expressed the pain and hardship the victims are currently going through.
“Our hearts are heavy as we share the sad news of a devastating fire outbreak in Singa. The disaster has completely destroyed 21 homes, leaving 33 people homeless.
Among the victims are eleven (11) children, two physically challenged persons, twelve (12) women, and eight (8) men,” he said.
According to him, efforts to control the fire proved extremely difficult.
The North Gonja District Fire Service Department was unable to respond to the emergency due to the unavailability of fire tenders at the time of the incident.
As a result, desperate community members attempted to contain the fire using buckets of water, but their efforts were not enough to stop the raging flames.
The inferno destroyed homes, rooms, clothing, cash, personal belongings, motorbikes, harvested crops, and other valuables.
Many of the affected residents are farmers who had taken loans to cultivate their farms. Unfortunately, their harvested produce was also destroyed by the fire, leaving them in a very difficult situation.
Currently, the affected families have been left with virtually nothing and are struggling to survive.
The North Gonja District office of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) is providing some assistance to the victims, but community leaders say the magnitude of the disaster requires broader support.
They are therefore appealing to government institutions, humanitarian organizations, philanthropists, and the general public to come to the aid of the victims.
Items urgently needed include:
Food items
Clothing
Building materials
Financial support
Emotional and humanitarian support.
Community leaders have designated a contact person to coordinate support for the victims:
Name: Noah Bugri
Contact: 0544596990
Any form of assistance will go a long way to help the affected families rebuild their lives.
Fortunately no lives were lost.
