The Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike has announced the Rivers state government’s donation of N500 million to the victims of Sokoto central market fire disaster and Sokoto state government to rebuild the market ravaged byTuesday fire disaster.
Wike, who made the donation when he visited the scene of the disaster on Wednesday barely 24 hours after the inferno, emphasised that the money was meant to support Sokoto state government to rebuild the market and at the same time support the victims to mitigate the effects of the disaster.
Affirming that whatever affects Sokoto state also affects Rivers, Wike said his administration would do all it takes to ensure that the affected market is reconstructed and becomes functional.
He said a situation where the means of livelihood of the people of Sokoto state, the drive of the government to improve the people’s lives and a broad spectrum of socio-economic wellbeing of many people will be affected does not augur well for development and progress.
Earlier in his remarks, while conducting Gov. Wike and his entourage round the scene, Sokoto state governor, Barr. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal explained that the gutted market had 16,000 shops out of which “at least 60 per cent were affected by the fire.”
He said when the fire broke out the entire state government fighting apparatus and some from the federal government were mobilized to control it.
After inspecting the scene, Wike and his entourage also paid a courtesy visit to the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar in his palace.
Wike used the visit to condole with His Eminence Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar lll and Sokoto state government, the Sultanate Council and the people of Sokoto state over the death of the late Commissioner for Home Affairs, Hon. Abdulkadir Jeli Abubakar, who was a junior brother of the Sultan.
In his response, Sultan Abubakar, who noted the age-long relationship between Sokoto and Rivers, expressed gratitude to Wike for his visit and support to the state.
Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar , however, applauded Sokoto state governor for his prudent management of the states resources, a performance which fetched it a World Bank grant under the State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability And Sustainability (SFTAS) programme.
