John Dramani Mahama,Vice-President, Ghana

The Micro-Finance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) has presented a cheque for GH¢1 million to the fire victims of the Darkuman Kokompe Spare Parts Market in Ghana’s capital Accra. A total of 210 spare parts dealers whose wares were destroyed by the fire a month ago are to benefit from the loan. The facility which is to be paid within 12 months with a two-month grace period, attracts a total of 24 per cent interest.
The release of the loan followed a directive by the Vice-President, John Dramani Mahama, to MASLOC to assist the fire victims to restart their businesses. He said this when he led government delegation to make a donation of roofing sheets, pieces of wood, bags of cement and nails to the victims a month ago. Fire gutted more than 4,000 shops at the market a month ago, destroying vehicles, spare parts and other items running into thousands of Ghana cedis but no life was lost.

Bertha Ansah-Djan, CEO, MASLOC

Presenting the cheque, the Chief Executive Officer of MASLOC, Bertha Ansah-Djan, said the spare parts dealers played a crucial role in terms of selling vehicle spare parts to many Ghanaians. In view of this, the extension of the loan was to help the fire victims to re-start and grow their businesses so that they could continue to serve clients. She emphasised the need for them to insure their wares to enable them to access assistance to re-start in the event of any loss of property. The Chairman of the Kokompe Spare Parts Dealers Association, Kingsley Anane Yeboah, thanked the government for the prompt manner it facilitated the release of the loans. He expressed the hope that the loans would assist the fire victims to revamp their businesses and gave an assurance that those who would benefit from the facility would repay the loans promptly.