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...For a better society... Wednesday, November 10 2004 Vol 13 No.44 News Editorial Politics Opinion Features Foreign News The Arts Sports Education Business Money/Market Travels/Tourism Property/Environment Columnists Oba Market inferno: Edo govt suspends Chief Fire Officer • Igbinedion orders probe VINCENT ADEKOYE, Benin BARELY few days after last Wednesday’s fire which razed the multi-billion naira ultra-modern Oba market in Benin, the Edo State capital, the state government has suspended indefinitely, the Chief Fire Officer (names withheld). Also, Daily Champion gathered that about five top shots in the state Ministry of Works and Transport are to face disciplinary action due to their alleged role in the procurement and servicing of fire fighting equipment meant for the ministry. The market went up in flames last Wednesday following a mysterious fire leaving behind-tales of woe as valuable goods worth over five billion naira were consumed in the inferno. The inferno which was first noticed at about 8.00 p.m could not be put off even as at noon the following day despite the distress calls made to the state fire service by men of the Oba market police station. Reports said the fire service men who arrived the market nine hours later, had complained of lack of water and were chased out of the complex by aggrieved traders while the fire raged. Speaking with newsmen in Benin, Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr. Adolphus Ojobo, confirmed that the Chief Fire Officer is on indefinite suspension. "This is because the action of the department was a gross embarrassment to the state government despite the huge amount of money spent so far to equip the section by the present administration. The state government is not happy that the fire service could not put the Oba market fire under control", Ojo said. Investigations by Daily Champion revealed that Governor Lucky Igbinedion who was away on official duty at the time of the incident, was sad over the destruction and has ordered full probe of the ministry and specifically how much had been spent on procurement of fire equipment and whether those items were actually bought. A source disclosed that the governor also queried why the fire department did not have a functional borehole despite the fact that provision had earlier been made for same. Meanwhile, nobody has been able to ascertain the cause of the fire. � 2004 @ Champion Newspapers Limited (All Right Reserved). Powered By dnetsystems.net dnet�

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