The Federal Government has assured victims of Wednesday’s fire
incident at the Ochanja Market, Onitsha in Anambra, of its support
towards ameliorating their plights.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social
Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar-Farouq, gave the assurance on Friday
in Onitsha when she visited the market to ascertain the level of
damage.
Umar-Farouq said she was pained at the level of losses incurred
by the traders as well as the damage caused by the inferno.
“We are here on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, who
directed that the ministry should come and condole the government
and people of Anambra, especially the Ochanja Market traders mostly
affected by the fire incident.
“I came here with sadness and utmost priority. Billions of naira
have been lost by this fire incident.
“I have directed the acting Director-General of NEMA to
immediately send relief materials through the South East zonal
office to the affected victims of the incident,” she said.
The minister, who interacted with some of the victims, further
assured that the ministry would work closely with the state to see
how they could prevent further occurrence.
“A joint committee made up of Federal and State governments will
come later to assess the level of damage with a view to
forestalling future incidents of fire outbreaks,” she noted.
According to her, part of the assessment would focus on
prevention and mitigation aspect of disaster and response to
forestall future occurrences.
In his remarks, Chief Primus Odili, the Chief of Staff to Gov.
Willie Obiano, commended the swift response of the Federal
Government to the disaster.
Odili, who took the minister round the market in company of NEMA
and Red Cross Society officials, requested for fire trucks from
Federal Government to help combat such incidences in future.
“The people of Anambra are happy that the President within 24
hours was able to deploy people that came to assess the extent of
damage and to give orders that relief materials be sent down to our
people.
“What happened touched the heartbeat of trade and commerce in
the South East; we are asking the Federal Government to also come
to our aid in terms of fire trucks.
“We have about 20 fire trucks. About four of them came for the
rescue operation.
“Early this morning, we had a similar incident at Nkpor (near
Onitsha) and about six fire trucks were deployed within minutes,
which is why we are not talking about serious damage.
“We are soliciting fire trucks; at the Ochanja Market, we need
at least three.
“You saw how congested that market is, so we need high powered
fire trucks that can deal with such fire disasters as we saw on
Wednesday,” he appealed.
Responding, the Chairman of one of the affected plazas in the
market, Chief Ndubisi Onuoha, commended President Buhari for
condoling with them.
But Onuoha prayed that the promises made to them by the Federal
Government should not be diverted. (NAN)
The Human Rights-Based Approach to
Carbon Finance NOW ON SALE— Order Your Copy!!!
written By Professor Damilola S. Olawuyi, LL.B
(1st Class), BL
(1st Class), LL.M (Calgary), LL.M
(Harvard), DPhil (Oxford) Professor of Law and
Director, OGEES Institute, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti. For
more information or to order your copies, please
contact Mr. Keji
Kolawole: [email protected][2] , Tel:
+234 81 40000 988[1]
Subscribe ToNairalaw News! References ^
The Human Rights-Based Approach to
Carbon Finance NOW ON SALE— Order Your Copy!!!
(www.cambridge.org) ^ [email protected]
(nairalaw.com)
Read more fg-pledges-support-for-onitsha-fire-victims/
NAF Air Personnel
VIDEO: NAF Deploys Ground Attack Aircraft Against Boko
Haram Rendezvous
Video: https://youtu.be/7BXJiIKMjMY
The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has
obliterated a Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) meeting venue and
neutralized several of their fighters at Ngoske on the fringes of
the Sambisa Forest in Borno State.
The attack was executed today, 18 October 2019, following
successive days of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
(ISR) missions, which were aimed at identifying locations housing
the BHTs’ leadership as well as their rendezvous positions.
Intelligence derived from the ISR missions led to the
designation of 2 buildings within Ngoske that served as assembly
areas for the terrorists from where they launch attacks against own
troops positions and innocent civilians.
Accordingly, the ATF detailed its ground attack aircraft to
engage the hideout, scoring devastatingly accurate hits which led
to the complete destruction of the 2 buildings as well as the
neutralization of several terrorists.
The NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, will sustain
its efforts to completely destroy all remnants of the terrorists in
the Northeast.
IBIKUNLE DARAMOLA
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force