Update: Senate Calls On FCTA And AMAC To Restore-Shops To Original Owners After Abuja Market-Fire

Update: Senate Calls On FCTA And AMAC To Restore-Shops To Original Owners After Abuja Market-Fire

The Senate on Thursday, July 11, urged the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), to reallocate shops to original owners after rehabilitating Karu Market which was recently gutted by fire.

The red chamber also enjoined the federal government through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to urgently provide palliatives and relief materials to affected traders to cushion the effect of fire on the victims.

It mandated its committees on Environment and Legislative Compliance to ensure strict compliance with the resolutions and report back within four weeks.

The resolutions of the red chamber were sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Ireti Kingibe (Labour Party, FCT).

Senator Kingibe in her motion titled: “The Karu Fire Outbreak and the Need for Safer Public Places” informed his colleagues that the fire outbreak that occurred at Karu main market on June 27, 2024, left scores of traders in tears after goods worth billions of Naira were razed.

She lamented that the inferno razed almost all the shops and destroyed foodstuff, electronics, cosmetics, and clothing materials among other consumables and non-consumable items worth billions of Naira.

“These fire outbreaks have become one too many already; with attendant losses running to billions of Naira. In the last six months, there have been several incidents of this nature. From Idumota Market in Lagos; to the Police Shopping Complex, Mararaba, Nasarawa State; to the Yan Katako Market, Rijiyar Lemu Area of Fagge LGA, Kano State, just to mention a few.

“These fire outbreaks all had the same causative factors which hinged on basic building safety regulations that were either inadequate or not adhered to or out rightly not in place.

“This state of unpreparedness in safety management cuts across private homes, government buildings, open parks and gardens, markets, shopping malls, Warehouses, Sawmills, fuel tankers, gas and fuel Stations, educational establishments, shops, clubs, hospitals, hotels, and restaurants: thereby exposing ourselves to avoidable mishaps,” she said.