By Praise Chinecherem
Panel of inquiry set up to investigate, make an inquest, examine and to explore the remote and root cause of November 8, 2022 fire incident has submitted its report to the Onitsha South Local Government Area caretaker committee chairman, Chief Emeka Orji.
Comrade Peter Okala, chairman of the 9-man panel inaugurated on June 8, 2022 by State Government had disclosed that from investigation, the cause of the explosion was chemical reaction, not a bomb blast as insinuated in some quarters.
He however said the dead and injured were yet to compensated, while those behind the explosion who had been at large were yet to be apprehended a year after.
He said, “So many members of bridgehead market sustained injuries and some are still in the hospital while one member’s leg was amputated, three unions were affected by the explosion, which included, Ogbogwu International market, Chain saw/Allied and PS Union.
“The rebuilding of shops has started extensively with the approved plan from the Onitsha South Local Government.
“The dead and the injured have not been compensated, the person/persons that caused the explosion is a registered member of the PS union, and has disappeared, had not entered the market since then.
“Members are agitating for the chemical line to be moved outside the market and the promise from the government to assist in rebuilding the demolished shops has not been fulfilled.
“Victims paid #50,000.00 each, totaling N1.6m to the President General, PG, Bridge head market and are demanding for refund. We discovered that only four persons lost their lives contrary to insinuations that they were about nine.”
Secretary of the panel, Dr Frank Udemmadu urged government to provide alternative power source to the markets in the state, most especially solar powered.
“Chemicals of explosive, corrosive and inflammable nature should be banned from all markets in the state. Those that died and the injured have not been compensated, the government should do the needful.
“Government should foot bills for the rebuilding of the shops, most especially, the ones that were brought down to create access for rescue operation and members that lost goods worth hundreds if millions should be compensated as well.
“The affected members that paid #50,000 to the PG of the market should be refunded without hesitation. We do not subscribe for the chemical line to be removed from the market but to monitor, control and make sure that those combustible chemicals be checkmated by formation of a strong task force for the union of the market and other markets in the state.
Responding, Onitsha South Local Government Chairman, Emeka Orji thanked the committee for a job well done, assuring that handling of chemicals issue in the market would be his next target.
“My next project will also be provision of head bridge with service station. I’m working very hard to reconstruct and rebuild a new Onitsha South, I want to build an ultra modern market at Ochanja, I started with oduigbo, I demolished it and I will rebuild it and other parts of the market.
Others that spoke at the event were chairman of Chain saw/Allied products, Chief Onyebuchi Umeh, Chairman Stakeholders/leaders of thought, Chief Bonaventure Ucheagwu, Legal Adviser to council chairman, Chief Stanley Okakor and the council secretary, Mr Paul Onuachalla.
