7th November, 2019
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, has begun the enumeration of traders whose wares and properties were destroyed in the inferno that engulfed a section of the popular Balogun Market on Lagos Island.
Fire had gutted a six-storey building at 43 Martins Street and a three-storey commercial building of lock-up shops at Balogun Market on Tuesday, with properties worth multi-million naira destroyed.
At news conference on Thursday, in Alausa, Ikeja, Director General, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the government sympathised with the victims of the fire disaster and regretted that a policeman lost his life in the process.
He said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu visited the market on Wednesday and promised to render assistance to traders who lost their properties.
In the light of this, Oke-Osanyintolu disclosed that LASEMA had begun enumeration of traders whose properties were destroyed in the inferno in readiness to receive government’s assistance.
He appealed to residents of Lagos to always be cautious as government would ensure the safety of lives and properties of he citizens.
“The citizens must key into the emergency management. They should not put inflammable substances inside their shops. A fire hydrant was destroyed and vandalised during the rescue operation. The building has been brought down to ground zero.
“Those who lost their belongings should cooperate with us to do the enumeration. We will work with the Iya Olojas so that we can get to the route of the issue and we will not allow touts to hijack the process.
“Those who lost properties should come with relevant documents as we will work hand in hand with the Iya Olojas and we will not hesitate to deal with touts,” Oke-Osanyintolu stated.
“The Financial Assistance will be categorized, so each shop owner must come up with proper evidence as well as cooperate with their Baba/Iya Oolojas. It’s a preliminary exercise for a safe deduction to be made from it.,” he added.