The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, has expressed concern over the repeated cases of fire outbreaks in markets around the country, stating that the recent fire outbreaks are a source of great concern to government.
In a statement made available to Blueprint Weekend by her Special Assistant on media and publicity, Halima Oyelade, Farouq commiserated with those who lost their properties and goods worth millions of Naira in the fires that gutted parts of Balogun and Dosunmu markets in Lagos on November 5, 2019.
The Minister said she felt saddened by the unfortunate incident, describing it as a huge loss to Lagos state and the nation as a whole, noting that “in the recent past, we as a nation have experienced incessant cases of fire outbreaks that have led to huge losses to traders, their families and the Nigerian economy as a whole.”
Farouq also said the efforts of emergency response from the Lagos State Fire Service and the State Emergency Management Agency, the State Police command, environmental health officers, youth and other kind-hearted Nigerians contributed in stopping the fire in both markets, even as she said she found this heartwarming, while encouraging those affected to remain strong and resolute in the face of the extreme loss.
The minister reiterated that the federal government, through the Humanitarian Ministry, in collaboration with other relevant institutions, is working on finding lasting solutions to fires and other disasters; to ensure structures that will mitigate, prevent and ensure a high level of preparedness are put in place to engender quick and appropriate responses when fires break.
She encouraged shop owners and landlords to ensure safety mechanisms are put in place in their business premises and buildings.
“This will bring to the barest minimum the impact of fire outbreaks,” she said.
