Property worth more than 20 billion naira was destroyed during the recent fire outbreaks at the famous Singer Market in Kano, according to the Chairman of the Disbursement Committee on the market’s fire disaster, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim.
Ibrahim, who also serves as the Secretary to the Kano State Government, disclosed the figure on Saturday shortly after the committee visited the market to assess the extent of the damage caused by the inferno.
He described the scale of the loss as “monumental” and appealed to Nigerians to assist the traders in cushioning the effects of the disaster.
“The extent of the destruction there, you could see, just by mere mental assessment, is far beyond N20 billion,” he said.
He recalled that the Federal Government had already donated 5 billion naira, while the APC Progressives Governors Forum donated 5 billion naira in aid of the victims.
Other donations running into millions of naira have also been received from other donors, the chairman further disclosed.
“We are appealing to good Nigerians to come to the aid of these traders. We assure them that whatever Kobo they donate will reach the victims. And we assure the good people of Kano State that we will render account in details, every Kobo received in aid of the victims of the unfortunate fire incident.
“This committee is made up of people who have advanced in age, whose integrity is at stake, and they would not compromise upon the mandate given to them by the Government,” the chairman said.
He warned that the committee would not condone dishonesty on the part of the affected traders during the disbursement of donations received in their aid.
“Anybody who thinks he can use any trick to falsify a claim, the least he would suffer is to forego any support that would go to him, and the worst would be a prison term,” he further warned.
The committee has emphasized its commitment to transparency and fairness as they begin the difficult task of verifying claims and distributing the intervention funds.
