From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, has sympathised with the shop owners of the popular Karimo market in the suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) over the fire incident that razed the market.
The inferno started in the early hours of Thursday and affected many shops and destroyed goods worth millions of Naira.
According to a statement by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Bashir Nura Alkali, the Minister expressed worry over frequent fire disaster in markets across the country.
She called on shop owners and market authorities to be fire-conscious in order to protect lives and property.
Umar Farouq advised that fire fighting equipments should be installed in shops and at strategic areas in the markets. She also cautioned against cooking and improper handling of electrical appliances in markets to prevent fire disaster.
She, however, commended the combined efforts of the firefighters from government agencies, companies and individuals that brought the fire under control.
She said the cause of the fire will be investigated by the relevant government authorities.