Committee uncovers causes of fire outbreaks in Warri Market *Tidi to inaugurate management committee

A nine- member committee set up by Warri South Local Government

Council to ascertain the cause(s) of incessant fire outbreaks at Ogbe-Ijoh Market, Warri, has identified illegal sale of inflammables suchas kerosene and the use of substandard electrical materials such ascables in connecting electricity to some shops, as causes of the mostrecent as well as the last two previous fire outbreaks in the market.
Chairman of the Committee, Builder Ekeleni Godwin in a remark beforepresenting the detailed report to Warri South Local GovernmentChairman, Dr. Michael Tidi Tuesday January 8, noted that the out- comeof the panel was after public hearing and one- on- one engagementswith the affected traders as well as other stakeholders.
The committee’s report revealed that the pattern and spread of thefire suggested that there could be some ulterior motives, while thereare a lot of unknown people doing business in the market at nights andtheir activities could be responsible for the recurrent fireoutbreaks.

The panel which comprises of chairman of the market traders’ union,
head of Fire Service, Warri and has Prince Raymond Emiko as Secretary
among others, recommended barn of sale of any kind of inflammable
liquid in the market such as diesel and petrol or its sectionalization
to avert future fire outbreaks.

Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, Dr. Michael Tidi who
spoke after receiving the report, disclosed plans by his
administration to constitute management committee to oversee the
market which has been handed over to the council by the state
government, adding that it is part of efforts to set up proper
administrative structure in the market.

Dr. Tidi emphasized that his administration has the political will to
implement findings of the committee, assuring that sanity will be
brought to the market within the ambit of the law.