From Paul Orude, Bauchi
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State on Saturday evening sympathised with victims of a fire incident that occurred at Bababa Plaza in Wunti Market, Bauchi metropolis.
Addressing the affected victims during a visit to the scene of the incident, Governor Mohammed pledged the readiness of the state government to assist them with capital to continue with their businesses.
The governor promised that the victims would be the first to benefit from the state government’s financial assistance plans for traders in the state.
In a press release signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Muktar Gidado, the governor appealed to public-spirited individuals to support in providing the victims with other needed assistance.
‘On behalf of the Government and people of Bauchi state, we are here to commiserate with members of the market associations and traders that were affected and the owner of the plaza over the monumental lost of properties that happened yesterday night,’ he said
Governor Mohammed, who expressed concern about the level of damage caused by the fire incident, said the state government will take an estimate of the affected building for its immediate rehabilitation.
On the non-functional fire fighting equipment in the state, the governor described the fire disaster as a wakeup call for the state government to strengthen the operational capacity of firefighters for efficient and effective service delivery.
‘I regret all the inconveniences and the loss that occurred here; it has come as a wakeup call to us as government. The fire service agency is not working in tandem with my vision for the new Bauchi State, but I want to assure you that we will take proactive measures to overcome the challenges.
The owner of the plaza, Alhaji Nasiru Bababa, expressed confidence in the ability of Governor Mohammed to support the victims of the fire disaster to restore their businesses.