Popular Eke Market in Ebonyi razed, as goods worth millions of naira destroyed

[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]

Fire incident that occurred, Tuesday night, completely destroyed a section of the popular Eke Market in Afikpo Local Government Area of the Ebonyi State as goods worth millions of naira also went with it.

Circumstances surrounding the fire incident were unknown as of press time, but no life was lost.

The youths of the area were said to have mobilized and prevented the fire from escalating, as Ebonyi Fire Service could not help.

Chairman of the Council, Barrister Oby Oko Enyim who visited the market at about 6:35am on Wednesday to ascertain the level of damage, described the incident as pathetic and promised that the Council would in its capacity make sure the basic things were put in place to prevent a reoccurrence.

She also sympathized with the victims of the fire incident.

“So far as there is life, there is hope. Don’t lose hope or give up because of this. You shall all overcome this setback”, she admonished the victims.

Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the State, Professor Benard Odoh, has sympathized with the traders and people of Afikpo over the fire disaster.

A Statement signed by Odoh on Wednesday afternoon, assured that if he is elected governor in 2023, he would lead cross networked Market union leaders forum across all the markets in Ebonyi State to implement design solutions that would have been in place and capable of mitigating fire incidences in the State.

Odoh said: “There is no length of message that would be enough to ease off the direct and indirect pains of the economic loss suffered here by many of us at a time the country’s economic climate hasn’t been anything to cheer up about.

“I write not only to convey my heartfelt message to you, but to step in as a partner in solidarity march towards the direction of HOPE in the fact that, when all of us as ordinary people rally around together for a improved cause, extraordinary results would be achieved.

‘As one who is on the lead aspiring to become Ebonyi State Governor in 2023, I am making it straightly clear that our administration with Dr Nakata Chuku as my Deputy will lead cross networked Market union leaders forum across all the markets in Ebonyi State including this very particular Eke Market – to implement design solutions that would have been in place and capable of mitigating fire incidences like this.

“It pains my heart that we watch fire helplessly raze down our efforts of many years in few seconds.

“Our administration has planned a multi-layered design solution down to Last-Mile community/Market levels that will effectively apply modern and smart efficient fire fight technology/equipment, mobile and responsive enough to make sure this type of fire incidence and related incidences will never be allowed to take us back any longer.”