Gyang Bere, Jos
Many traders have lost goods worth millions of naira after fire destroyed 35 shops at Katako market in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident which occurred on Saturday left several traders devastated as they narrated tale of woes while counting their losses.
Kabiru Lawal, a prominent trader in the market said he lost two of his shops and warehouse to the inferno.
“We don’t know the source of the fire but about 35 shops including warehouses with good worth millions of naira were destroyed.
“We are soliciting the assistance of the state government to enable us to get new sources of livelihood; this is devastating.”
Meanwhile, the senator representing Plateau North in the National Assembly and Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Sen. Istifanus Gyang, has expressed deep shock over the fire incident.
He lamented that the market had continued to witness fire outbreaks, and pleaded with the state government to station a permanent outlet of the state fire service at the market.
Senator Gyang, in a press statement empathised with traders and Plateau State Traders Association over the sad incident.
He described the incident as most unfortunate and heart-breaking and called on national and state emergency management agencies to provide relief materials to the affected traders.
The senator requested the Plateau State government to permanently station a fire fighting vehicle and personnel at the Katako market axis given the perennial history of fire outbreaks at the market.
He said that would help secure the enormous investment of traders whose activities were contributing immensely to the economy of Jos, the state capital.