• Friday, March 29, 2024
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BusinessDay

Wike douses Sokoto market fire with whopping N500m

Tambuwal-Wike

Fire raged through a market in Sokoto State but Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has doused it with half a billion naira.

Governor Wike shelled out N0.5 billon to help traders that lost goods at a market fire in Sokoto and also rebuild the market.

The governor rushed to Sokoto soon after news broke that one of the largest markets in Nigeria in Sokoto had just been gutted by fire.

Wike who seems to take his generosity outside the state once again after the N200m he donated to Benue State said he had empathy for the Sokoto traders.

Wike made the pledge on behalf of the State government during a visit to the governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on Wednesday.

Governor Wike who was conducted round the destroyed market by Governor Aminu Tambuwal said he was saddened by the devastating fire that razed over 60 per cent of the 16000 shops there.

Wike who has been hosting political leaders across board ostensibly to commission some road projects in Rivers State, said; “We have come here to commiserate and sympathise with our brother, our friend and the good people of Sokoto State on what had happened to one of the biggest markets in this country, the Sokoto central market.

“When I got the information last night, I was touched and I said as brothers, what affects you affects us. What affects Sokoto State affects Rivers State.”

The Rivers State governor who empathized with the traders over the loss of their goods worth billions of naira, thanked God that no life was lost in the disastrous inferno.

“People have lost their goods, the state government will have to see how this market will be brought back to the way it is supposed to be.

“We sympathise and identify with you. We know the negative effect on the economy of the various families; families who depend for day to day trading and sales of their goods.”

Governor Wike expressed his appreciation to the various security and paramilitary agencies that prevented the fire from destroying the entire market.

He pledged that the government of Rivers State would support Sokoto State to rebuild the market and ameliorate the plight of the traders with N500 million.

Tambuwal thanked Wike and the people of Rivers State for the kind gesture.

The Rivers governor also paid a courtesy visit to the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, in his palace to commiserate with him over the demise of junior brother, Abdulkadir Jeli Abubakar, who was Sokoto State Commissioner for Home Affairs.

In his response, Sultan Abubakar, acknowledged the age-long relationship between Sokoto and Rivers State and lauded to Gov Wike for sustaining it.

He explained that Governor Wike’s visit and pledge to support Sokoto State is a demonstration of what Nigeria is and should be.

The Sultan further commended Gov Wike for his remarkable developmental stride in Rivers State

” I commend you and congratulate you for all what you have been doing for Rivers state in particular, because we have seen a lot of infrastructure being put in place and that is why they call you Mr Project in Rivers.

“You have just some few more years, please do much more so that no body will beat you when he takes over from you

Similarly, the Sultan lauded Gov Tambuwal for his judicious management of the state resources which earned the State a World Bank grant under the State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability And Sustainability (SFTAS) programme.