* It’ll impact Anambra, country’s GDP, says minister
Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has expressed sympathy with traders who lost their wares and families of those who lost their lives in the fire incident at pharmaceutical market (Ogbo Ogwu) in Onitsha.
On hearing of the explosion that rocked the market and the resultant fire outbreak, Soludo immediately delegated his deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim; Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, and his Special Duties counterpart, Mr. Sly Ezeokenwa, to visit the scene of the incident to ascertain the level of damage as well as convey the government’s sympathy to the affected traders.
The government team, on the mandate of the governor, sympathized with the leadership of the market on the deaths that were recorded during the incident, and also paid a visit to those who were injured and currently receiving treatment in various hospitals.
The government team also met with the market leadership where it was agreed that the market be temporarily closed down to pave way for a thorough evacuation of the debris at the site of the fire incident.
Governor Soludo also commended the gallantry and quick response of the State Fire Service personnel, who were on ground to put out the fire, and stop it from spreading further and causing more havoc.
Investigation and evacuation are ongoing to unravel the remote and immediate causes of the fire incident with a view to proffering a lasting solution.
The governor called on the market leadership and traders at the market to support the effort of the present administration to relocate the market from such an enclosed location to the ongoing ultra modern pharmaceutical hub in Oba.
Governor Soludo assured of working round the clock to deliver on his mandate of achieving a livable and prosperous homeland where everyone will live, work and enjoy.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, lamented that the market fire incident is capable of affecting the GDP of State, and the country as a whole.
She also sympathized with the traders and victims of the accident where drugs, pharmaceuticals and other items worth several millions of naira were destroyed.
Umar-Farouq said: “We are deeply disturbed by the destruction of merchandise worth millions of Naira by a fire incident at the Onitsha drug market popularly known as Ogbo Ogwu.
“We sympathize with the government of Anambra State and victims of the inferno, especially the injured. This disaster will definitely affect the GDP of not only the state but the nation’s economy. This is really unfortunate.”