Experts Identify Insurance, Proper Planning, Central Electricity System As Panaceas To Market Fires
Experts have noted that insurance, proper planning and central electricity generation system are important steps in curbing the disturbing spate of market fires across the country.
This was the consensus at the second edition of the Grow Nigeria Conversation (GNC) in Abuja on Thursday, May 27, 2021.
The two-hour event, which was convened by the former Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, had Engr Joseph Garba Anebi, former past Controller General of the Federal Fire Service (represented), Debbie Windele, a Fire Safety Expert; and Dr Taibat Lawanson, an Urban Planning & Development Specialist, UNILAG.
Others are: Dr Usman Ado Kibon; Director, Centre for Disaster Risk Management, ABU, Zaria, Ebose Austin Osegha, CEO/MD Anchor General Insurance Company and McDonald Ifeanyi, an IT specialist.
“The general belief among most shop owners is that insurance does not work in Nigeria,” Mr Osegha said.
“When a market fire incident occurs, you’ll see politicians donating hundreds of millions for rehabilitation and reconstruction. Most times, these monies do not even get to the intended beneficiaries. A fraction of that amount would have been used to secure the market and ensure that needed infrastructures are in place to ensure that losses are minimized.”
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Windele harped on the use of centralized electricity generating system, advocacy and sensitization of market leaders and traders on the need to insure their wares and proper use of fire fighting equipment like the fire extinguishers, the location of fire stations close to markets in order to reduce the response time in the event of an outbreak.
“Apart from having a central electricity generation system, let’s also begin to look at tapping into renewable energy sources like Solar in our markets,” said Dr Lawanson.
“Also, our local governments must begin to work because most markets where these fire outbreaks occur are in our LGAs.
“A situation where our local governments are incapacitated, the leaders will not care about the market design so long as there are more people coming in who are ready to pay taxes,” she added.
For Dr Saraki, market reconstruction is key.
“I recollect that during my tenure as the governor of Kwara State, our administration in Kwara State had to totally reconstruct the Kulende Market as a way of showing our commitment to traders,” he announced.
“Our government also constructed from the scratch, the Adewole Market in Ilorin West LGA as a way of creating a new town around the Adewole Estate which we constructed also on virgin, hitherto bushy land areas of the state capital.
“As a senator, my constituency office had to help reconstruct 25 stalls in Baboko Market, Ilorin after it suffered a fire incident. We also provided street lights around and inside the market to discourage untoward practices. I also made personal donation to assist traders who lost wares in a market fire incident in Owode market, Offa in 2018,” Saraki noted.
Highlights of the event were live feeds from the Central Market, Sokoto and Oshodi Market in Lagos.
The Grow Nigeria Conversation was organised and hosted by The Africa Politeia Institute – TAPI and the Adopt a Goal for Development Initiative – AAGI.
