| Commissioner for Cooperatives and Wealth Creation, Hon. Felix Akhabue (middle) addressing traders affected by fire incident at Santana market along Sapele Road, Benin City. |
The Edo State Government has assessed damages caused by the fire that ravaged parts of Santana market along Sapele Road, Benin City, and has raised a committee of inquiry to unravel the immediate and remote cause of the inferno.
Commissioner for Cooperatives and Wealth Creation, Hon. Felix Akhabue, said this during an on-the-spot assessment of the scene of the incident, noting that the government delegation was in the market on a fact-finding mission to ascertain what caused the inferno.
He said the state government is concerned about the welfare of every citizen of the state, including traders who were affected by the incident.
Akhabue explained that a committee of inquiry has been set up to look into the root cause of the inferno, adding that the findings will be communicated to the state governor for the necessary line of action within record time.
The Women Leader of the Market, Mrs. Giegbefumwen Patient, said the damage caused by the fire incident was heartbreaking. She added that the incident, said to have happened between 9 pm-10 pm, was allegedly caused by electrical surge based on information from the security guard on duty.
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She noted that criminals took advantage of the incident to break into stores and carted away goods.
She appealed to the state government and other well-meaning Nigerians to assist the affected traders, adding that most of the those affected were trading with loans they borrowed to expand their businesses.
One of the affected traders, simply identified Mr. Louis, urged the state government to help the traders in reviving their businesses, even as the panel of enquiry commences its work, to cushion the effect of the incident, as two traders have already lost their lives as a result of the fire.