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Enugu market fire: Ugwuanyi gives succor to victims amid tears of joy
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on Friday visited traders of Amigbo Market in Obiagu, Enugu North Local Government Area whose shops were gutted by fire at the wee hours of yesterday to empathize with them, ascertain the cause and level of damage, and offer state government’s assistance to ameliorate their loss.
Gov. Ugwuanyi, who arrived at the market to the amazement of the traders and residents of the suburb, after he was briefed by the chairman of the market traders association, Mr. Emeka Nnajiofor Ogbodo, and the Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mrs. Nkechi Eneh, first thanked God that no life was lost during the inferno and consoled the victims.
Consequently, the governor donated the sum of N100,000 to each of the affected 68 traders whose shops were burnt as immediate intervention to cushion the effect of the inferno and promised that his administration will rebuild the shops for them, in keeping with its commitment to the wellbeing of the people of the state.
He therefore directed the Chairman of Enugu North Local Government Area, Hon. Emma Onoh who was present during the visit alongside the member representing Enugu North Constituency in the State Assembly, Hon. Barr. Ibekaku Onoh, to take inventory and come up with the cost implication for the rebuilding of the shops, for necessary action.
His words: “I came to console you. I know how you are feeling. As a governor whom you elected, what affects you affects me too. When you mourn, I follow you in mourning. What affects you affects all of us in Enugu State. I am here therefore to put smiles on your faces. All of you affected should come to Government House for immediate payment”.
Earlier, the chairman of the market, Mr. Ogbodo, who thanked Gov. Ugwuanyi and his entourage for coming to empathize with them, narrated that the inferno started around 12:50 am, shortly before he received a distress call from the Neighborhood Watch group.
He disclosed that the swift intervention of the state fire service saved the day despite the fact that their fire-fighting trucks had challenges accessing the market.
“If not for the quick assistance of the fire service, the whole market would have been burnt down. When the fire service came with many vehicles, there was no road because of buildings here. One of them tried to enter through here but could not enter. It was another one from the other way that tried with the support of the residents to quench this fire.
“God did wonders; nobody was wounded, including people who entered inside the shops to quench the fire. God Almighty did it; no one was hurt or taken to the hospital. It was only those whose shops and goods were destroyed that were affected”, the market chairman said.
Also speaking, SEMA Executive Secretary, Mrs. Eneh stated that on the spot assessment conducted by the agency revealed that “the fire started about 12: 50am today and men of the Enugu State Fire Service were here on time to contain the fire, as you can see”.
According to her, “No casualty, no fatality was recorded. We are grateful to God about that. We are yet to ascertain the cause of the fire, though some of the victims stated that about 4pm the previous day that they experienced power fluctuation but about 12 midnight, the power went off completely and about 12:50am they now started hearing about the fire outbreak; that was when the men of the fire service were called”.
Mrs. Eneh, therefore appealed to residents of the state to be cautious and observe safety measures both at home and in their work places, reassuring them of the state government’s commitment to safety of their lives and property.
Responding, some of the victims who spoke to journalists amid tears of joy, after they collected the money at the Government House, Enugu, thanked Gov. Ugwuanyi for coming to their rescue after they lost their means of livelihood to the inferno and prayed God to continue to bless and reward him abundantly.
The Enugu State government has inaugurated a steering committee to eliminate Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the state, declaring zero tolerance for the social malaise.
The inauguration took place at the Government House Enugu.
The panel, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, draws its membership from the Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education as well as the Civil Society.
Inaugurating the panel known as the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to not bringing perpetrators of GBV to book, but also putting in place proactive measures – activities, infrastructure, and systems in place to prevent them.
Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “We take gender-based violence seriously. We have zero tolerance for it, and in Enugu State, we are ready to go the extra mile to deal with it.
“If you notice, the government has selected people that are very committed to this goal. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list. We will track this. We will monitor this, and we will have quarterly engagements on the successes that this particular committee has achieved in terms of reference that we are going to send.
“We will tighten those terms of reference indicators, so that we monitor what we are doing both in terms of cost input and the value added. It’s very important to us. Many people will be involved – civil society, the police and various ministries.”
He however, said that the effort was to protect everyone, men and women alike, as GBV was not restricted to any gender.
“The whole idea is to hold people responsible that are involved in matters relating to gender violence and deter people that by culture or by association get involved in that, protect women, protect our children, and in the case of violence against men, protect our men because most times we misconstrue gender violence to mean women, but it can also be men too.
“We encourage our men to speak out and to make sure they understand that the policy that Enugu State is soon going to domesticate is for everyone, and not only for the female gender,” he stated.
In her remark, Mrs. Enih, explained that the Oputa Panel approach was inspired by the need to cover all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV, restarting government’s confidence in the members of the panel.
“The approach we are going to use is the Oputa Panel approach, and in the Oputa Panel approach, we are going to tour the 17 Local Government Areas to get firsthand information about what our people are going through because policy is meant for the people, and a policy should suit the people.
“Again, every community has its peculiar problems, so that’s why the government decided that if we have to domesticate the gender policy, we have to hear from the people who own the policy and know the changes that they desire to see. That is the reason we are using this approach.
“The committee members are to also serve as judges. As we gather this information from our people, we will come back to tailor it in a way to suit the people of Enugu State, and then our policy is ready.
“We want the people to know that there is a gender policy for them. I can assure you that when the people are aware that there is such a policy, they will seek for the enforcement of that policy. So, this is not going to be one of those policies that will just lie on the shelf,” she said.
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
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