OBA LIPEDE MARKET INFERNO: OGUN TO INVESTIGATE ROOT CAUSE, PLAN TIMELY REMEDIATION
The Ogun State Government has vowed to do a thorough investigation to ascertain the root cause of the Saturday night inferno which gutted some parts of Oba Lipede International Market,located at Kuto, Abeokuta to mitigate future recurrence.
It also promised that experts would be deployed to determine the impact of the fire and conduct integrity test on the building despite that only some parts of the market was affected by the inferno .
The Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Adebola Sofela made this known during an on-the-spot assessment of the marke on Sunday.
About four shops and stalls were reported to have been gutted by fire around 10.00pm on Saturday but the Ogun State Fire Service men swiftly moved in to rescue the situation.
Sofela after his physical assessment said that if remediation is limited to the areas impacted by the fire, the government will not delay to come to site.
The Commissioner who was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary Dr. Olu. Ola. Aikulola, Directors in the Ministry and Market Development Board as well as Iyaloja of the Market, Mrs. Tejumade Bakre, among other top market leaders, noted that the main building of the market which was constructed over 43 years was a testament to the commitment of the present administration to maintaining its social investment assets.
Describing Prince Dapo Abiodun as a compassionate Governor who feels the pains of the citizenry, Sofela pointed that the State’s helmsman would come up with plans to ameliorate the pains of traders eho suffered one loss or the other to the inferno.
According to him, we will take proper look at the totality of the environment based on professional advice.
“Don’t forget that this market is about 43 years old and we have been trying to keep it in shape by the benevolence of the Governor who is committed to maintaining the social investment assets of the State.
“The swift response of our fire service men on Saturday night is the type you get from our government in situations where lives and properties are threatened.
“In this case, investigations on the root cause of the inferno will come in earnest to mitigate future recurrence. Our experts would do a thorough test on the integrity of the building and we will follow professional advice on our next steps . Sofela stated.
