The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has donated a sum N30 million to the victims of the fire incident, which razed the Katsina Central Market in Katsina State.
The Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who announced the donation yesterday, while in audience with the State Governor, Hon. Aminu Bello Masari at the Government House, described the incident as unfortunate and a great loss.
This is coming as Masari has constituted a committee to investigate the cause of the inferno and make recommendations to the state government.
Fayemi, represented by the Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, said the fire disaster occurred at the time the governors were battling with economic and security challenges.
He said: “It is unfortunate that this is coming at the time when we are facing a lot of challenges in terms of economic and security challenges in the country.
He, however, said efforts were ongoing by governors within the North-west and North-central to tackle the prevailing security problems bedeviling the region for peace and development to thrive in the zone.
Responding, Masari thanked his colleagues for the gesture and vowed to use the fund to assist the victims to resume their commercial activities in the market.
Meanwhile, Masari has constituted a committee to investigate the cause of the inferno and make recommendations to the state government.
The governor, who disclosed this when he received the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farouq Umar, at the Government House yesterday, said the committee would investigate the remote and immediate causes of the fire disaster.
The emir, alongside other top traditional rulers and chieftaincy tittle holders within the ancient emirate, were at the Government House on sympathy visit to Masari, the state government and traders over the market inferno.
He said the committee would also assess the extent of the damages, number of victims and make recommendations on how to forestall future occurrence.
The governor, who did not mention the membership of the committee, said government would do everything humanly possible to improve the standard of the market and assist the affected traders in order to assuage their plight.
Earlier, Umar expressed shock over the incident and called on the state government and the affected traders to accept the fire incident as the will of God
(THIS DAY)
