By Chimezie Godfrey
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, has handed over relief materials to the Delta state government.
The Minister also flagged off the distribution of the materials to the victims of the Ogbeogonogo market fire during her visit to the state on Wednesday.
“I am deeply saddened and immensely worried to be standing here today to commiserate with traders who have lost wares worth millions of naira in the latest fire incident to rock our nation but I am relieved to hear that no life was lost in the fire.
“I say relieved because as the popular adage goes, when there is life, there is hope,” she said.
Farouq expressed her deepest sympathy to other hard working Nigerians who lost properties and goods to the recent fire incidents in the country.
He added that this is the third fire incident in less than two months, in which 14 lives were lost at the Ngala IDP camp in early April.
The relief materials include; 120 pieces of Sewing Machines, 100 pieces of Hair Dryers, 80 pieces of Grinding Machines, 625 bags of 12.5kg Rice, 625 bags of 12.5kg Maize, and 625 bags of 25kg Beans.
Others are 31 bags of 20kg Salt, 63 kegs of Vegetable Oil, 85 cartons of Tin Tomatoes, 56 cartons of seasoning, 1,875 bags of Cement, 300 bundles of Roofing Sheets, 625 bags of 3 inches Nail, 750 pieces of Ceiling Boards, and 300 packets of Zinc Nails.
Farouq expressed her appreciation to the State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa for providing immediate relief.
She also commended the officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for their prompt response and the immediate activation of the Crisis Response Protocol.
According to her, “The ministry will provide every support required as investigations continue into the cause of the incident.
‘The Ministry in consultation with relevant agencies and stakeholders is evolving new strategies for an All-Hazard Approach that will prioritize fire prevention and mitigation to avert these fire incidents which take human and material toll on our lives and those of our loved ones.”
The Commissioner, Bureau for Special Duties, Delta State, Pira Joseph Omamofe led the Humanitarian Minister and her team to inspect the burnt market and flag off of the relief support to the affected traders.
Omamofe appreciated the federal government for the prompt response and also requested the Minister to consider more relief supports for persons affected by various other incidents which assessments have been carried out but are yet to receive support from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Farouq also paid a courtesy visit to the Delta State Government House, as the Governor, Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa also thanked the Minister for the site visit and commended the humanitarian gesture of providing relief materials to the traders whose items were lost in the fire.
