By Kamsi Anayo
Anambra state government has been urged to ban chemicals of explosive, corrosive and inflammable nature in all markets in the state.
The panel also recommended that such sensitive items must be subjected to adequate monitoring to ensure compliance.
The panel of inquiry committee on the Nov. 8, 2022 explosion and fire incidence at Head Bridge Market, Onitsha, made the recommendations in an 11-Page Report on the cause of the inferno.
The report was submitted by Sir Peter Okala and Dr. Frank Udemadu, Chairman and Secretary, respectively alongside other seven committee members to the state government on Friday.
The report was submitted through Chief Emeka Orji, Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area of the state.
“Our investigations revealed that the explosion was from chemicals sold in the market in between three unions/lines, Ogbogwu International, P.S. Union and Chain Saw and Allied Unions, and not a bomb blast as assumed.
“The blast was assumed to be bomb explosion which has the tendency of causing security breach among Nigerian ethnicities, of which our youths had already strategised attack on non-indigenes,” they stated.
According to them, 15 noted traders, who have spent many years doing businesses in the market were interviewed to enrich the committee on the lethal chemicals incidence, before the holistic report was turned out.
In their recommendations, they urged the state government to provide firefighting equipment and fire trucks at Head Bridge markets and others.
“There is no firefighting truck and equipment in the whole of Head Bridge Market. The ones we have in Onitsha and its environs are not in a proper working condition. This is an anathema and it is unprecedented.
“More so, response by the Anambra state fire service wasn’t prompt. Asaba fire service, Delta state, was the first to answer our call,” they added.
They added that the traders who lost goods worth hundreds of millions of Naira, who are injured still hospitalised and yet to be compensated by the state government.
“The affected members that paid N50,000 each, totally N1.6 million to the head bridge market leadership, who claimed that the money was given to the government officials in Awka for approval to enable the traders rebuild their shops be refunded.
“To organize workshops and seminars for members of the markets in the state for sensitisation. Also each line in the market be made to provide fire extinguishers to tackle cases of fire outbreaks.
“Encouragement of genuine insurance companies for the traders to take up life and goods insurance premium against loss, amongst others,” they added.
Chief Emeka Orji, Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area of the state, promised to look into the report and thanked the panel committee for a job well done.
“I am happy. I must promise the committee that what I started, I must finish. The recommendations will be addressed passionately,” he said.
