The House of Representatives has called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials for hundreds of marketers who lost properties worth multi-million naira during the fire outbreak at Orita-Aperin market in Ibadan-Oyo State.
The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Muraina Ajibola, who tasked government at all levels on the need to prioritise security and welfare of the citizens in line with the provisions of Section 14(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
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According to Hon. Ajibola the ugly incident which occurred on the 14th June, 2019 razed down Orita-Aperin market, where goods worth millions of naira were destroyed.
In his lead debate, Hon. Ajibola observed that a similar incident occurred a couple of weeks ago at Onipepeye bridge along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, where some people were burnt to death when a truck conveying 33,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit ran into some vehicles and exploded, leaving a trail of destruction.
According to him, “the House is aware that the cause of the fire at Aperin market is yet to be determined, but eyewitnesses said that the fire started around midnight while that at Onipepeye occurred in broad daylight at about 3 pm.
“The House is informed that some shops and other valuables were destroyed in the inferno at Orita-Aperin market, thereby taking away the means of livelihood of the traders who are now worried about their inability to continue in business and also the interests accruing on the loans they took from commercial banks to stock their shops which were burnt
“The House is cognizant of the provision of section 14 (2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which provides that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government would become a mere dream if necessary actions are not taken to bring succour to the affected traders”.
In the course of the debate, the House observed a minute’s silence in honour of the deceased and subsequently mandated the Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness to visit the scenes of the fire disaster and commiserate with the people and government of Oyo State.