Nkwogbe Market Fire: Obiano Inducts Panel Of Inquiry

Governor Willie Obiano declares he needs the fire incident at Nkwor-Ogbe Market, Ihiala to be the last of such occurrences in the state.

Governor Obiano stated this while inaugurating the members of the panel of inquiry into the remote and immediate causes of the fire incident, which razed several shops and destroyed property worth millions of naira.

Correspondent David Okpokwasili reports that the committee has a former chairman of the Post Primary Schools Service Commission, PPSSC, Lady Joy Ulasi as the chairperson.

The Deputy Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Dr Paschal Agbodike, the member representing Ihiala one Constituency in the state Assembly, Mr. Chidi Udemmadu, the commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Mr. Uche Okafor, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Creative Security, Air Vice Marshal Ben Chiobi, the state Chief Fire Officer, Engineer Martin Agbili and several others are members.

While reading out their terms of reference, Governor Obiano, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu expressed worry over incessant occurrence of fire disasters in the state and said that the panel beyond looking at the immediate and remote causes of the Nkwor-Ogbe Market disaster, should also look into why the state has not learnt lessons from past experiences.

Governor Obiano asked the committee to ensure that they complete their assignment on or before December eighteen as the state government will not allow the investigation to linger and to also properly find out the number of persons and shops involved in the incident and suggest ways that the victims could be compensated by the state government.

Speaking on behalf of the panel, the chairperson, Lady Joy, thanked the governor for finding them worthy of the assignment and promised that the panel will to the best of its ability deliver to the expectations of the state government and the victims of the fire disaster.