Sir: According to the Nigerian Daily Trust newspaper, properties worth billions of naira were destroyed in a fire that lasted approximately 12 hours, during which the state fire service failed to provide help. Most of the victims, struggling to make ends meet, lost their businesses in this devastating incident.
It’s important to highlight that the victims were not operating their businesses illegally; they were, in fact, directed by the government to do so. Despite paying considerable revenue to the government, it raises the question: why does the government not provide support to these individuals in their time of need?
The main market, Jos Terminus Market, lacks a single firefighting truck, even though the market generates substantial revenue for the government each month. Where is all this money going? This is not the first time the market has suffered from a fire; however, the government has taken no action to prevent future occurrences.
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The market first caught fire in 2002, and since then, the government has failed to rebuild it, even though millions have benefited from it, including the state government itself. While they continue to pay taxes, many vendors are forced to share neighbouring shops to conduct their businesses. With all these years gone by, what exactly is the Plateau State government doing with the revenue it collects, especially considering its failure to provide firefighting trucks to prevent further disasters?
If there had been firefighting trucks available, up to 500 shops may not have been lost in this inferno. Therefore, due to the government’s negligence in supplying firefighting equipment or responding during the fire, they must compensate the victims.
We urgently call on the Plateau State government to provide compensation to help these individuals rebuild their lives, as leaving them empty-handed would exacerbate their suffering and harm the state’s economy.