Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has pledged to rebuild the fire-ravaged Oluku Market in Benin and support traders who lost their shops and goods in the deadly tanker explosion that rocked the area on Thursday.
Okpebholo gave the assurance on Friday when he visited the market along the Benin–Lagos Road in Ovia North-East Local Government Area to assess the extent of destruction caused by the inferno.
The governor, who expressed sadness over the incident, assured the affected traders that his administration would not abandon them, promising to help them rebuild their businesses and recover their livelihoods.
He, however, warned residents against scooping petrol from fallen tankers, describing the practice as dangerous and avoidable, particularly given repeated public safety warnings.
According to him, the disaster could have been avoided if people had stayed away from the fallen tanker and the necessary safety precautions had been observed during efforts to evacuate its contents.
“Before the explosion, people were scooping fuel. The state and federal governments have spent a lot of money on advertisements to educate the public to stay away from such disasters, but people won’t listen,” he said.
Okpebholo also faulted the decision of the tanker owner to bring in another vehicle to evacuate the fuel without adequate safety measures in place, noting that such actions expose residents to avoidable danger.
The governor disclosed that the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, had expressed sympathy with the victims and the families of those who lost their lives in the incident.
“I spoke to the First Lady this morning, and she expressed her sadness over what happened yesterday,” he said.
The visit also took the governor to the burns and plastic ward of the Accident and Emergency Department at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), where several victims were receiving treatment.
Accompanied by his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, former Edo State governor Senator Adams Oshiomhole, and Senator Matthew Urhoghide, Okpebholo was conducted round the hospital facilities by the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Idia Ize-Iyamu.
At the hospital, the governor reiterated the need for residents to observe safety precautions around fallen fuel tankers, particularly warning against the hazardous practice of scooping petroleum products.
Earlier, the market secretary, Blessing Itoje, appealed to the governor to provide urgent assistance to the traders, lamenting that the fire destroyed their shops and merchandise before they could salvage anything.
“We couldn’t even pick anything; everything burnt to ashes. Some of us are widows, and we use our meagre earnings to care for our families,” she said.
Itoje added that some traders were servicing loans before the disaster, while others have been hospitalised following the incident, with some reportedly requiring oxygen and intensive medical care.
Another trader, Julie Ologbosere, also appealed for government assistance, saying the affected traders had lost their livelihoods and were left with nothing to fall back on.
