Karu Market Inferno: Senate seeks reallocation of shops to original owners

The Senate has urged the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) to offer the Karu Market shops when rebuilt to the victims at a subsidised and affordable rate.

This, the upper chamber said was in order not to disenfranchise the original owners of the shops which was a community market and its status as a community market must be maintained.

The resolutions were sequel to a motion sponsored by Sen. Ireti Kingibe (LP- FCT) during plenary on Thursday.

The motion was titled: “The Karu Fire Outbreak and the need for safer public places”.

Kingibe in the motion, informed the Senate that the fire outbreak that occured at Karu main market on June 27, left scores of traders in tears after goods worth billions of naira were destroyed.

She lamented that as disclosed by eye witness accounts, the inferno razed almost all the shops and destroyed food stuff, electronics, cosmetics, clothes among other consumables and non-consumable items worth billions of naira.

“These fire outbreaks have become one too many already; with attendant losses running to billions of naira.

“In the last six months, there have been several incidents of this nature. From Idumota Market Area in Lagos; to the Police Shopping Complex, Mararaba, Nasarawa State just to mention a few.

“These fire outbreaks all had the same causative factors which hinged on basic building safety regulations that were either inadequate or not adhered to or out rightly not in place.

“This state of unpreparedness in safety management cuts across private homes, government buildings, open parks and gardens, markets, shopping malls thereby exposing ourselves to avoidable mishaps”, she said .

The upper chamber consequently mandated its committees on Environment and Legislative Compliance to ensure strict compliance with the resolutions and report back within four weeks.