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Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Chief Nnia Nwodo has described the Onitsha fire disaster as a monumental loss and told the traders that he shares in their pains.
Nwodo who visited the scene of the fire expressed shock that the flame was still going up and yet to put off and appealed to the fire service to come back to do the needful and state ministry of works to cordon-off the caved-in buildings to avert another disaster.
The Ohanaeze President who was accompanied by the chairman of the group in the state Chief Okeke Ogene, said that fire disaster affected all Igbo people and not the traders alone and called for assistance for the victims and deceased families.
“What happened in Ochanja happened to the entire Igbo land; your cry is the cry of entire Igbo people. I’m not happy that the fire is still on in the market because those who supposed to put out the fire are nowhere to be found. I’m not happy that there is a house waiting to fall and possibly injure more people in Ochanja market.
“I will call those in authority to come and stop another disaster. I appeal to you traders to believe that God knows about what happened and you should have solace in God; I share in your plight.
“A number of people have died here, a number of people have lost their sources of livelihood. What pains most is that I can still see some flame going up here. One would have been expected that the fire service, the Ministry of Works should all be present here now.
“Those buildings that constitute damage and can fall anytime should be cordoned off with ribbons so that people will not come close to them to avoid more casualties. I’m appalled by the facts that some people who were paid to do their jobs are not doing them. We beg the state fire service to come back to the site of the fire to put out the fire completely.
“I will do a letter to the Governor Obiano imploring him to see that all the traders who lost wares and capital are given enablement to go back to business and all those who lost their loved ones are given befitting burial,” Nwodo assured.
