Over N20bn Property Lost In Singer Market Fire Disaster – Committee
By Abdullahi Yusuf
Property worth more than N20 billion were destroyed during the recent fire outbreaks at the famous Singer Market,Kano,the Chairman of the Disbursement Committee on the market’s fire disaster, Alhaji Umar Faruk Ibrahim,has said.
Ibrahim,who is also the Secretary to the Kano State Government, disclosed the figure on Saturday,shortly after the committee paid a visit to the market to assess the extent of damage caused by the inferno.
He described the extent of loss of valuables lost during the fire disaster as “Monumental,” and appealed to Nigerians to assist the traders in cushioning the effects of the inferno.
“The extent of the destruction there, you could see,just by mere mental assessment,is far beyond N20 billion,”he said.
He recalled that the Federal Government had already donated N5 billion, while the APC Progressives Governors Forum donated N5 billion in aid of the victims.
Other donations running into some millions of Naira had been received from other donors,the chairman further disclosed.
“We are appealing to good Nigerians to come to the aid of these traders.We assure them that whatever Kobo they donate will reach the victims.
“And we assure the good people of Kano State that we will render account in details, every Kobo received in aid of the victims of the unfortunate fire incident.
“This committee is made up of people who have advanced in age,whose integrity is at stake,and they would not compromise upon the mandate given to them by the Government,”the chairman said.
He warned that the committee would not condone dishonesty on the part of the affected traders during the disbursement of donations received in their aide.
“Anybody who thinks he can use any trick to falsify a claim,the least he would suffer is to forego any support that would go to him,and the worst would be a prison term,”he further warned.