Makinde inspects Dugbe burnt market, hints on Disaster Trust Fund
As the nation continues to grapple with the economic impact of COVID-19, property owners at a popular market in Ibadan are counting their losses following a devastating inferno that gutted the market.
Oyo state Governor, joined by representative of National Emergency Management Agency NEMA paid on the spot assessment to the market where they condoled the victims, who appeared rattled with the inferno.
The governor, regretted that while the nation was battling with the economic and social impact of the dreaded corona virus, the state was hit by another tragedy.
“If the state has disaster trust fund, cases like this will attract immediate response by government, but nevertheless, we shall look into what we can do to assist the victims, so they can start all over again” the governor said while addressing the people at the market.
Slaku Lugard Bijimi, NEMA’s South West Zonal Coordinator who spoke on behalf of the agency’s Director General Mustapha Mihaja said a report will be written on the volume of damage caused by the inferno, with a view to soliciting for government’s assistance to those affected.
Dapo Davies, one of the property owners, an entrepreneur with huge industrial machines badly burned spoke in emotion laden voice that what he had put together for thirty years was swept away with the inferno, stressing that he was confused and don’t really know where to start.
“to prevent incident like this, I make sure I am always the last person to leave this place, and I will ensure all appliances are properly switched off, unfortunately, this came on the broad day light, it is a huge loss, and we can’t really handle the situation alone”. Davies regrettably lamented.
Fire had engulfed the market in the afternoon of Wednesday, 14th of April, when one of the shop owners was partitioning his shop, in which a spark from demarcation ignited the inferno.
Combined efforts of the men of fire service from federal and that of Oyo state subdued the raging inferno.
