The Administrative Committee inaugurated by Katsina State Government to ascertain the level of damage wreaked by the fire incident at the Katsina Central Market, says 685 traders were affected by the fire.
Presenting its report to Governor Aminu Bello Masari at the Government House in Katsina, the committee chairman and State Commissioner of Works, Alhaji Tasi’u Dandagoro, sair the inferno destroyed properties worth N902 million at the market.
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Dandagoro explained that a total of 605 shops were burnt by the inferno while 21 shops were vandalised and looted by hoodlums who pretended to be assisting in putting out the fire.
The Commissioner noted that 59 other traders that were on attachment were also affected by the disaster.
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The committee attributed the incident on haphazard connection of electricity and the use of substandard materials in erecting structures at the market.
It also advised the state government to reconstruct the market through a Public-Private-Partnership arrangement to minimize the cost of reconstruction in view of the economic crisis affecting the state.
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In his remarks shortly after receiving the report, Governor Aminu Bello Masari assured that the state government would inaugurate a white paper committee to design a plan of action for reconstructing the market and paying compensation to the victims.
He disclosed that civil servants would make contributions in rebuilding the market as 80 percent of the state’s resourcs are used to oay the entitlements of civil servants.
