Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has pledged N50 million to traders whose shops were razed by fire at the Makurdi Modern Market on Tuesday night.
About 200 shops were destroyed by the fire which began around 7:30 pm, shortly after the traders had closed for the day.
On visiting the scene on Wednesday, Ortom encouraged the traders, saying that “when there is life, there is hope.”
The governor said: “This is one incident too many. I recall that we had fire incidences at Gboko Market, Wadata Market and now Modern Market. And for Modern Market, this is the third time it is happening within a few years.
“This alone is one too many and we do not deserve it again. We pray it never happens again (but) we must take some proactive steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
He promised to institute a commission of inquiry to put an end to fire incidences in markets.
The commission, Ortom said, would inter alia look into the issues surrounding the suspension of the market union and seek ways to ensure that all parts of the market which had been burnt down are rebuilt.
The Ter Makurdi, HRH Sule Abenga, urged the traders not to despair but trust in God to bring them out of the predicament.
The monarch also called on the Federal Government to assist the state government in dipping the effect of the fire incident on the traders.
