Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has donated N60 million to traders affected by the December 5 fire incident at the Lafia modern market.
He announced the donation at the Government House in Lafia yesterday during a meeting with the committee set up to investigate the damage caused by the fire.
The breakdown of the donation showed that while N55 million is meant for those directly affected by the fire, N5 million is for the Nasarawa State Traders and Marketers Association (NSTMA).
He said the intervention became necessary considering the damages caused by the fire, especially with the prevailing economic hardship being experienced across the country.
He urged NSTMA officials to ensure that the donation gets to the traders directly affected by the incident.
He promised that the state government would address the causes of the frequent fire incidents to put an end to it.
The governor appreciated public-spirited individuals from the state who identified with the victims through donations amounting to N18m which he said was being utilised by NSTMA to rebuild the shops destroyed.
Briefing the governor, the commissioner for trade, industry and investment, Abubakar Zanwa, said the committee discovered that 29 shops were affected, with 24 completely burnt.
The president of NSTMA, Alhaji Musa Aliyu-Turaki, thanked Governor Sule for coming to the rescue of members of the association.
He assured the governor that officials of the NSTMA would carry those affected along.
