The Senate has advised traders in markets across the country to obtain insurance to protect their businesses in the event of fire disaster which has become recurrent in markets.
This followed a motion sponsored by Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, on the floor of the senate on Wednesday.
The motion is entitled: “Fire Disaster in Central Market, Nguru, Yobe State: A call for Urgent Intervention.”
The Senate also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to urgently provide necessary interventions to traders affected in the fire disaster at the Nguru Central Market in Yobe and other markets across the country.
Presenting the motion, Lawan said the fire outbreak occurred at the market on Saturday, Nov. 10.
He said “the fire outbreak was severe and possibly the worst of its kind in recent history of fire disasters in the state, where over 60 per cent of the market was razed.
“The inferno caused economic activities to be grounded completely in the market.
“Affected traders and shop owners are suffering untold hardships due to the disaster.”
The lawmaker said victims of the disaster required urgent intervention to reconstruct and rehabilitate their shops.
He noted that the disaster was beyond the capacity of the Yobe Government, adding that there was need for urgent intervention by Federal Government to alleviate their plight.
Sen. Umar Kirfi (APC Katsina) stressed the need for provision of fire extinguishers in markets to quell any fire outbreak and prevent losses by the traders.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, explained that insurance cover would help immensely in securing businesses, especially in times of outbreak.
He advised traders to obtain insurance for their businesses and property. (NAN) CJM/CHOM/HA