By Francis Onyeukwu
Awka – The Chairman of Dome Entertainment Centre, Abuja, Dr Obiora Okonkwo, has advocated a paradigm shift from disaster management to prevention of disaster in Nigeria.
Okonkwo, an indigene of Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra state, made the call on Saturday, when he paid a sympathy visit to the leadership of the Automobile Spare Parts Market, Obosi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that a section of the market was on January 11 gutted by fire, with one trader killed, while 400 shops and goods worth several millions of naira were destroyed.
Okonwko, who was accompanied on the visit by some chieftains of the People Democratic Party in the state, said that disaster management was costlier than preventive and proactive measures to avert the disaster from occurring.
He said: “Residents of Anambra have recorded a lot of fire disasters since last year with the most notable incidents being the Ochanja Onitsha Market and Automobile Spare Parts Market, Obosi.
“After moving round the affected part of the market today, I can observe that the manner at which the shops were constructed contributed largely to why many shops and goods were damaged.”
Okonkwo, who said he was out of the country when the fire occurred, donated one trailer load of cement to fast track the on-going re-construction of the affected shops.
He advised traders and residents to imbibe the culture of disaster and emergency proactive knowledge in order to prevent fire disasters.
“We should not glory on sympathy visits during disasters but should jointly come up with measures to prevent disasters, which usually have grave impact on the people, from happening,’’ he said.
Okonkwo also advised the state government to redesign the market for enhanced commercial activities.
Responding, Chief Samuel Ezeobodo, the President of the market, said that the fire destroyed goods worth more than N1 billion.
Ezeobodo said that the victims of the fire were devastated by the huge loss they suffered.
“It was consolatory messages received from government and some illustrious people of the state like you (Okonkwo) that restored hope to the victims,’’ he said.
He thanked Okonkwo for his kind gesture, saying, “with 600 bags of cement, the reconstruction move at a faster rate and we are grateful to you.’’
(NAN)