The stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Ibadan outer city zone of Oyo state have charged the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde to be more proactive in the prevention, control and management of avoidable accidents and disasters in the state.
Apparently worried by the spate of market, industrial and domestic fire disasters as well as flooding, explosions, road mishaps among others in the state in recent times, the stakeholders warned that the trend must be arrested immediately by the relevant authorities particularly the state government.
The stakeholders made up of leaders, stalwarts and party executive committee members from Akinyele, Egbeda, Ido, Lagelu, Oluyole and Ona-Ara local government areas held their quarterly meeting at the Secretariat of the APC in Egbeda local government located in New Ife, Ibadan on Thursday where they regretted the inferno which ravaged Aleshinloye market last week.
In a communique issued at the end of their quarterly meeting and signed by four notable leaders of the Forum; Alhaji Kamorudeen Ajisafe, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi and Bashorun Billy Ogundele, the Forum lamented the death of the former Majority Leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Kehinde Hassan Subair, who reportedly died in London last week describing it as shocking while it also commiserated with another former state legislator, Hon. Dauda Lawal, who lost his wife to the cold hands of death on the same day.
According to Communique; “The fire incident recorded at Aleshinloye market in Ibadan last week was one inferno too many as it left many victims in agony and frustration on account of collosal loss of money, wares and property. Undoubtedly, the loss suffered by these citizens would have adverse effects on their families and the overall economy of the state and it on this premise that we identify with them in this trying period.
“Meanwhile, it is imperative we put the state government to task on how to abate the incessant cases of fire disasters since it is becoming a recurring decimal in many towns and cities across the state. The Aleshinloye market incident exposed the Makinde administration as inept and insensitive as a result the failure to prevent or manage the situation before it got out of hand. It is safe to say that the fraudulent release of a huge of money for the purpose of purchasing 10 fire trucks from Turkey in 2020 without the vehicles being brought down to the state is taking its toll on the residents.
“Now that we cannot continue to keep mute, we appeal to the Makinde administration to seek expert advice on how best to prevent recurrence of avoidable disasters in addition to getting relevant officials adequately prepared and equipped with training/retraining, modern equipment and good condition of service. Also, Gov. Makinde should also review his decision to displace genuine traders in Aleshinloye and other popular markets in Ibadan in the guise of remodelling the structures of those markets since it has been established that there is lack of transparency and sincerity in the plan.” The stakeholders said.
