Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo has pledged to rebuild the Oluku Market, which was destroyed by fire on Thursday, and support traders who lost their shops and goods in the disaster.

Mr Okpebholo gave the assurance on Friday in Benin while addressing the affected traders shortly after assessing the extent of damage at the market.

Oluku Market is situated along the Benin-Lagos Road in the Ovia North-East Local Government Area of the state.

The market was affected by the inferno, which arose from a fuel tanker explosion while some residents were scooping fuel.

The governor expressed sadness over the incident, saying that such situations could have been avoided.

He said First Lady Oluremi Tinubu had sent her condolences to the victims and families of those who lost their lives.

“I spoke to the first lady this morning, and she expressed her sadness over the incident,” he said.

The governor urged residents to stay away from fire disaster scenes involving petrol to avoid further casualties.

Mr Okpebholo also visited the burns and plastic ward of the Accident and Emergency Department of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) to see some of the victims receiving treatment.

The governor, while addressing parents of the victims admitted to the hospital, stressed that the federal government had been spending huge sums on advertisements warning against the dangers of scooping fuel.

He, however, frowned at the owner of the affected truck, who had immediately brought in another truck to transfer the contents without taking any precautionary measures.

He assured the traders that his administration would not abandon them, promising to restore their livelihoods through rebuilding and support.

Earlier, the market’s secretary, Blessing Itoje, appealed to the governor for help, saying no trader had the opportunity to salvage anything from the inferno.

“Some of the traders were admitted to hospital due to the shock; some are on oxygen. Please, our father, some of us are servicing loans as I speak,” she said.

Another trader, Julie Ologbosere, also appealed to the governor to support the traders, saying they had been left with nothing.

The UBTH chief medical director (CMD), Idia Ize-Iyamu, conducted the governor, his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, and Adams Oshiomhole, Matthew Urhoghide, around the hospital facilities to see the victims. 

(NAN)