Following the fire incident that engulfed the Karu community market on Friday, June 28, the Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Zakka Maikalangu, has led National Assembly members to the market for assessment of the impact of the inferno on traders.
Leading the delegation around the market on Wednesday, Maikalangu lamented the enormity of the impact, saying over 1,300 traders are transacting businesses in the market and that the majority were affected by the inferno.
“Honourable Chairman, the impact of the fire is devastating. You can see things for yourself. We have over 1,300 traders here. From assessment, majority were affected. They need help. They need urgent intervention,” Maikalangu said.
Addressing the traders, the Chairman of the House Committee on FCT Area Councils and Ancillary Matters, Hon. Fred Agbedi, expressed gratitude that no life was lost to the inferno.
He said that the House would get the federal government to intervene in providing succour to the affected traders in a matter of days.
He said: “When we got news of this fire incident about two weeks ago, we decided to write to the market to commiserate with the traders first of all. My committee is directly in charge of overseeing the area councils, including this market.
“So, we came to see things for ourselves. I can assure you that we will discuss with the federal government to bring succour to you. The fire was not planned and we thank God no life was lost. In a matter of days, you will see the intervention of the federal government.”
Speaking earlier, the Chief of Karu, HRH Joseph Danfulani Narai, thanked the National Assembly members and AMAC Chairman for coming to commiserate with the traders.
He said that many affected traders are presently in different hospitals as a result of the shocks they received when they heard the news of the inferno.
“From looking at things destroyed by the fire, you will see that goods worth millions of naira were lost to the inferno. In fact, many traders are still in shock because of the inferno. They’re in different hospitals. So, we need your help. We need your intervention,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Karu Market Traders Board of Trustees (BoT), Suileman Haliru, said that many traders were affected and need urgent help to restart life.
“We hope that you people will help us. As you know, this is a community market. This is where the traders feed. We don’t have any other market. We are not into farming. This is our only source of livelihood. Therefore, we need your help,” he stated.
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