Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo State, has expressed sympathy with the victims of recent fire incidents in the southwestern state with the promise to acquire modern fire-fighting equipment.
Governor Makinde in a tweet on Sunday, January 5, 2019 sympathised with the victims of the Akesan Market and promised to commence an investigation into the incident.
“I received with shock, the news of the fire outbreak at Oja Akesan in Oyo Town, in the early hours of this morning (Sunday morning). Words cannot convey my deep sadness at this incident and I sympathize with the victims. I appeal for calm as we investigate the circumstances around the unfortunate incident,” Makinde said.
I received with shock, news of the fire outbreak at Oja Akesan in Oyo Town, in the early hours of this morning. Words cannot convey my sadness at this incident & I sympathise with the victims. I appeal for calm as we investigate the circumstances around the unfortunate incident. pic.twitter.com/P0IqdHifDm
— Seyi Makinde (@seyiamakinde) January 5, 2020
Raphael Afonja, Oyo State’s commissioner of public works, during an on-the-spot assessment of the fire-ravaged market, vowed that 10 modern fire-fighting equipment will be acquired by the state government to combat the incessant outbreaks.
He added that the process that would lead to the acquisition of the equipment will commence on Monday.
He was joined at the scene by the commissioner of the environment, Kehinde Ayoola, and the permanent secretary of the ministry of health.
He lamented that Governor Makinde’s administration inherited a Fire Service Department with weakened capacity as a result of obsolete equipment.
According to him, the incumbent Government in Oyo State had flagged off a process of rehabilitating the serviceable fire-fighting trucks so as to provide immediate service to the people.
He added that the process of rehabilitating the inherited trucks was still ongoing when the outbreak of fire incidents occurred.
Properties worth millions of naira were reported destroyed in an early Sunday morning fire outbreak in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital.
In another incident, the popular Akesan market in Oyo town was also early Sunday morning leaving little or nothing to be salvaged.
These fire incidents follow a tragic fire accident that occurred last week Friday in Eyin Grammer area of Molete in Ibadan where three siblings were reported killed.
