- Donates N10m to victims.
By Musa Yaro, Calabar
Cross River state governor, Prince Bassey Otu, Monday, announced plans to construct modern stores at the scene of the fire outbreak in the Bogobiri area.
Bogobiri which is the Hausa/Fulani settlement area as well as the center of trade in Calabar, the Cross River capital, was engulfed in flames weekend.
The governor stated this when he visited the scene of the incident.
“To the government, we are indeed very sad with what has happened here.
“For people who have never been here before, they will not know the extent of this carnage, this is very serious considering that this is the center of trade for the Hausa community in this capital,” he said.
Otu who was accompanied by his deputy, Rt Hon Peter Odey, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, as well as state lawmakers and other principal officers, assured victims that the government will continue to support them.
“For today, we will immediately make available the sum of N10 million, and then we will quickly help in erecting these stores back.
“For those who have lost almost all they have here, I will say so long as there is life, there is hope, and God, the Almighty Allah will provide again.
“This must not discourage you in any way, things must happen but your resilience determines it all, we will do the very best that we can, to bring back life to normal.
“The new government is trying to put structures in place, in the not too distant time, I believe that we will start functioning at the optimum level that is expected,” the governor stated.
Earlier, the Head of the Hausa/Fulani community, Garba Lawal, expressed happiness that the governor was at the scene to see for himself the damage done and its devastating effects on the occupiers.
Lawal who informed that the incident occurred when the entire community was engaged in congregations prayer at the mosque said, the cause of the fire remains unknown.
The Hausa/Fulani leader applauded the firefighters in the state, affirming that if not, the volume of the fire would have extended.
