Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has assured traders at Alesinloye Market in Ibadan that his administration will remodel the market to prevent future fire outbreaks.
Makinde, who visited the market on Tuesday for an on-site inspection, said the state government had also provided palliatives to cushion the losses suffered by traders after the March inferno, which destroyed goods worth millions of naira.
Addressing traders, Makinde lamented that despite having a fire station in the market, the fire could not be contained. He stressed the need to ensure the station becomes fully operational to avert a recurrence.
“There are two things out there. One is to organise the market itself because right where the fire broke out, there is a fire station, but they could not stop the fire. So, we have to ensure that we do whatever is necessary to make sure the fire station is functional,” Makinde stated.
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The governor also ordered the suspension of a planned demolition of a section of the market, instructing the Ibadan South-West Local Government and Ibadan South Local Council Development Area to first provide an alternative for affected traders.
“There is a place that the local government is going to demolish, and I have told the chairman that it should not be demolished until an alternative is provided for the people,” he said.
Makinde further emphasized the need for heightened awareness on fire prevention, urging traders to store flammable goods with caution.
“We have to enlighten the people. It is better to avoid anything that can lead to a fire incident than to curtail it. So, the advocacy should be that people should store things, especially things that have the potential to get burnt, with utmost caution,” he added.
The governor, however, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting the traders and ensuring a more structured and fire-safe market environment.
