Mr Emmanuel Kojo Kwarteng, the Head of Corporate Affairs of GCB Bank Plc, has disclosed that the bank’s Nkwanta Branch in the Nkwanta South Municipality of the Oti Region, is not affected by Sunday’s inferno.
It was reported in the section of the media over the weekend that the Nkwanta South branch of the GBC Bank Plc has been gutted by fire.
The Head of Corporate Affairs of GCB Bank Plc, while reacting to rumours that the bank was completely razed down, he stated that the rumours are not true because the bank is working and opened to the public.
“The bank was not affected by the fire which gutted a property adjoining to the bank last Sunday. Our staff visited the site on Sunday and the bank worked yesterday.”
Mr Emmanuel Kojo Kwarteng
Mr Kojo Kwarteng asserted that the fire which was detected around 11 am was successfully extinguished by personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) with the support of the security services and the community.
“There was no casualty during and after the fire outbreak.”
Mr Emmanuel Kojo Kwarteng
The Head of Corporate Affairs thanked personnel of the GNFS and other security agencies, the community and leaders for the timely intervention and support.
“We deeply appreciate everyone involved in putting off the fire quickly so that it didn’t affect Nkwanta branch.”
Mr Emmanuel Kojo Kwarteng
Mr Kwarteng pledged that the bank shall inform customers of any new development.
The Fire Destroys Properties
On Sunday, 30th January, 2022, fire gutted parts of the GCB Bank’s residential apartment attached to the bank in the Nkwanta South Municipality. The inferno destroyed some properties in the facility.
The fire reportedly started around 11:20 am according to an eyewitness. Meanwhile, information gathered indicated that the Nkwanta South Fire Service personnel reached the site on time to mitigate the danger. At some point, they ran out of water due to the lack of hydrants, forcing residents to use buckets and pans to douse the fire.
The residential apartments and their auxiliary facilities were completely destroyed leaving occupants with nothing.
Some victims Obremponba Owusu, Elikplem Denyo and Moses Denyo who were occupying the apartment stated that they were at church when Elikplem Denyo had a distress call that their roof that is attached to the GCB had started burning.
They reportedly rushed in and realized that the fire has completely destroyed all their belongings including an amount of over ¢5,000 in cash.
Elikplem Denyo said, the fire did not leave them with anything to cloth with and therefore called on NADMO and other benevolent for support.
Residents who helped doused the fire, appealed to the authorities to provide enough fire hydrants at the station to enable personnel respond to outbreaks quickly.
However, the branch manager of the bank, Michael Beckley assured customers of business activities on Monday as the main office and other departments were not affected.
He commended residents for their support for dousing the fire that could have spread to other areas of the banking hall that would’ve been dangerous.
However, the cause of the fire outbreak still remains unknown.
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