The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar-Farouq, Friday paid a condolence visit to Ochanja market fire victims.
Addressing newsmen during the visit, Farouq revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to access the extent of damage caused by the recent tanker fire at some parts of Onitsha, the commercial nerve of Anambra state.
She said the president equally directed the State Management Emergency Agency (SEMA) to provide food items and other relief materials to the victims of the fire incident, revealing that the federal government would never allow them to suffer.
She said: “I was pained at the level of losses incurred by the traders. President Muhammadu Buhari sent me here to offer our condolences to you, your governor and the entire people of the state. I have directed NEMA and the SEMA to access the extent of the damage and report back to the president.
“I’ve directed the SEMA to make available relief materials including food and non food items to the affected population of the market. A joint committee made up of federal and state governments will be here later to access the level of damage caused by the fire and proffer better solution to avert future fire outbreak here.”
Speaking on behalf of the fire victims, chairman of one of the affected plazas in the market, Mr Ndubisi Onuoha, thanked the federal government for quick response, praying for fulfilment of the promises.
The Chief of Staff to Anambra state government, Chief Primus Odili, while taking the minister round Ochanja market in the company of NEMA and Red Cross society, appealed for federal government to provide the state with fire trucks.
