By: Segun Owotomo

 

The Special Committee set up by Ogun State Government on the recent Fire disaster which occured at Lafenwa Market Abeokuta has carried out on the spot assessment visit to the market with a view to work in line with the terms of reference for the assignment.    

It would be recalled that the State Governor ,Prince Dapo Abiodun during a visit to the market had assured that necessary machinery would be set in motion to mitigate the effect of the loss as well as forestall such ugly incident .   The Chairman of the Committee is the Honourable Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Barrister Femi Ogunbawo while the Permanent Secretary, Political Affairs and Administration,Office of the Governor, Mr Kehinde Onasanya is the Secretary. Other members of the Committee include the State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure,  Engr Ade Akinsanya, his Ministry of Transport counter part , Mr Gbenga Dairo and that of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development,Hon. Funmi Efuwape. Other members include the Commissioner for Rural Development, Mr Taiwo Oludotun , the Chairman, Abeokuta North Local Government,Hon. Adebayo Ayorinde ,the APC Chairman in the Local Government ,Alhaja  Farida Akintunde-Saromi  and the Chairman, Task Force on illegalities in the State, ACP Toyin Afolaogun.

Speaking during a visit to the site of of the incident with members of the Committee, Barrister Femi Ogunbawo said that measures was being taken to determine the remote causes and as government was poised for intervention to forestall future occurrence.

Ogunbanwo assured that the victims of the fire incident who lost their means would be duly compensated. 

Also speaking the State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr Ade Akinsanya said that contractors would be bringing in more equipment in order to fast track the road work, while assuring the people that before Christmas, Lafenwa road would have been totally transformed and there will be a free movement of vehicles and the people which will in turn reduced gridlocks around the area.

On her part, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon Funmi Efuwape, noted that the government of Prince Dapo Abiodun's led Administration is a highly compassionate government who has the interest of the people at heart, hence, the setting up of the committee to come and assess the incident scene by themselves and not just sit back in their offices to make decisions.

Efuwape said that the Local Government with the market men and women who were directly affected by the inferno were also members of the Committee, adding that members would work out various modalities towards improving the present condition of the market

The Abeokuta North Local Government chairman, Hon Adebayo Ayorinde appreciated the Governor for his prompt intervention, while noting that the LGA team have been on ground since the incident occurred in order to ascertain what has really been lost and what needs to be done to prevent such from re-occuring.

Ayorinde also noted that there has been a synergy between the State and Local Government which is making it more easier to carry out the assignment

The baba Oloja General of Ogun State, Chief Adewale Adeshina appreciated the government for always coming to the aid of the people of the State at all times, also charged all market men and women in the state to put all hands on deck in order to help the government to achieve their desired  goal of bringing normalcy and sanity to markets across the State.