Some traders and managers of the burnt Great Nigeria House (GNI) on Lagos Island have urged the Lagos State Government to ensure transparency in the ongoing enumeration exercise.
They spoke with reporters on the sidelines of the enumeration for victims and occupants of the building on Friday in Lagos.
Mr Obinna Stanley, a manager on the second floor, described the fire incident as devastating, saying lives and property were lost when parts of the structure collapsed.
Stanley said firefighters tried their best, but the inferno spread rapidly, trapping occupants and destroying goods.
He appealed to the government to ensure only genuine shop owners and tenants are captured in the compensation process.
According to him, managers should accompany their tenants for proper identification to prevent impersonation.
Chief Obinna Nwajinka, a tenant on the 10th floor, said he lost his warehouse and goods during the incident.
Nwajinka said some of his business associates reportedly lost between seven and 32 containers of goods stored in the building.
He expressed concern that many major tenants affected were absent at the enumeration centre.
Director of Operations at the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr Olatunde Akinsanya, said the exercise is to document affected shop owners, tenants, and property owners.
Akinsanya said the exercise, now in its second day, would enable the government to assess losses and determine appropriate support for victims.
He said the administration of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu is committed to cushioning the impact of the incident.
Incident Commander of the Lagos Island Local Emergency Committee, Mr Olatunji Folami, said the state would set up an auditing process after data collation.
Folami said the government aimed to provide succour to affected businesses despite the unforeseen nature of the disaster.
Market Leader of Oluwole Urban Market, Mrs Josephine Onwudiwe, urged the government to expedite assistance to traders whose shops were destroyed.
Onwudiwe said many traders had been unable to resume business, adding that mounting rents, school fees, and daily expenses were worsening their plight.
She appealed to the state government to fast-track intervention or provide an alternative trading space to ease hardship on affected families.
The enumeration exercise followed the devastating fire outbreak at Great Nigeria House on Lagos Island, which resulted in significant loss of lives and destruction of shops, offices, and warehouses.
The incident affected hundreds of traders, tenants, and property owners operating within the commercial hub.
In the aftermath, the Lagos State Government announced plans to document affected individuals and businesses to determine the extent of losses.
The move aims to establish an accurate database that will guide relief measures and possible compensation for verified victims.
The exercise is coordinated by LASEMA, the National Emergency Management Agency, the Lagos Safety Commission, and the Local Emergency Management Committee, among others.
It is designed to ensure transparency, prevent duplication of claims, and provide structured support to those genuinely impacted by the fire incident.
