Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has promised to release the sum of N50 million to traders whose shops were razed by a mysterious fire at the Makurdi Modern Market on Tuesday evening.
Daily Sun gathered that over 200 shops were consumed by the fire which started around 6:30pm shortly after the traders had closed from the market.
The governor who visited the market yesterday morning on an on-the-spot assessment lamented the extent of damage and urged the affected traders not to be discouraged but have faith in God maintaining that when there is life, there is hope.
“This is one incident too many. We all recalled that we had fire incidents in Gboko market, Wadata market and now Modern market. And for Modern market, this is the third time it is happening within a few years.
“This alone is one too many and we do not deserve it again. We pray it never happens again and we must take some proactive steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
While promising that the state government would not abandon the traders in their moment of trial, the governor disclosed that a commission of inquiry would be set up to identify the immediate and remote causes of all the fire incidences in the market with a view to ensuring such never happens again.
Ortom who lamented that billions of naira had been lost in the inferno said that the commission would among other things, also look into the issues surrounding the suspension of the market union as well as seek ways to ensuring that all parts of the market which had been burnt down are rebuilt.