The Yobe State Government on Thursday assisted 115 victims of the Nguru market fire disaster with over N21 million to enable them regain their means of livelihood.
The Permanent Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Musa Jidawa, who supervised the distribution of the assistance, said the gesture was meant to avoid creating a gap in the livelihood of the victims.
“You will recall that immediately after the incident, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam ordered for assessment of the damage done by the inferno, which was professionally executed and now you have this assistance from the State Government,” Jidawa said.
He said SEMA with some partners including the Nguru Market Traders Association, had conducted a thorough assessment of those affected to ensure that only genuine victims were captured for assistance.
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“In line with the transparency policy of the Gaidam administration, SEMA in conjunction with the Nguru Local Government Authority, security agencies and the traders association scrutinised submissions made by the victims.
“The committee processed all claims and came up with authentic list of affected persons and this is replicated in the payment of the support to ensure that every eligible victim is assisted,” he said.
According to the permanent secretary, the victims were assisted in commensuration with the quantum of their loss to the disaster.
Jidawa urged the beneficiaries to use the assistance to rebuild their trades and recover their means of livelihood.
He also charged the local government authority to provide accessible roads within the market to ease movement and make room for emergency vehicles to access every part of the market during disaster periods.
“There is the urgent need to upgrade these traditional markets to check congestion to enhance quick response,” he said.
Abdullahi Trader, a victim of the inferno, commended the state government for the assistance.
“The Senate leader, Ahmad Lawan, had earlier supported us with N10 million and now this N21 million from the state government and the building materials provided by NEMA will facilitate our recovery process,” Abdullahi said.
(NAN)
