Aiyedatiwa visits Ondo market fire site as victims seek help

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has ordered an investigation into the fire that damaged parts of Sabo Market in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area.

The fire happened on August 12 and destroyed many shops and goods owned by traders. This has led to huge financial losses for the victims.

In a statement by Ebenezer Adeniyan, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State, Aiyedatiwa visited the market on Tuesday to see the damage and offer support to the affected traders.

The governor was relieved that no lives were lost in the fire. He praised firefighters and community members for stopping the fire from spreading.

"I acknowledge and thank all our firefighters for their quick response to ensure that this fire did not escalate more than this.

"A lot of valuables have been lost but no life was lost. Our men responded with the support of the people in the neighbourhood to ensure that the fire was put off," he said.

Aiyedatiwa mentioned that the Ondo State Emergency Management Agency had already visited the market. Their job is to assess the damage and find out who was affected.

He promised the victims that the government would give support after the assessment is complete.

"The emergency agency of the state government has been here to take note and account of all that have been destroyed and those who are affected. They are doing their calculation; in due time, they will respond to support the people," he said.

The governor also talked about the water shortage that made it hard to fight the fire. He directed the Ministry of Water Resources, Hygiene and Sanitation to find good places for boreholes in the area.

"I’m promising you today, the Ministry of Water Resources, Hygiene and Sanitation will visit and look at locations where they have to sink the boreholes, and that will be approved immediately. Not just for firefighting but also for your use," Aiyedatiwa said.

He advised traders and residents to be careful with fire by turning off electrical appliances and other fire risks before leaving their shops or going to bed.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Amidu Takuro, said the state government will look into the causes of the fire.

Takuro noted that this was the third fire incident at the market in two years. He added that the reasons for the past fires were not clearly established.

"So, at this time, it is very important for us to dig to the roots of the causes of these problems so that we can be able to know what to do next," he said.

The Chairman of Odigbo Local Government, Taiwo Michael Adegoroye, praised the governor for his visit and support for the affected traders.

He described the market as one of the major markets in Ondo State, highlighting its importance to the state's revenue.

The Iyaloja of Ore, Eniola Ogunlana, spoke for the victims. She called the incident unfortunate and asked the government to help the affected traders who rely on the market for their livelihoods.