– WE ARE NOT LIABLE – GOVT – By innocent onyeukwu A new twist has emerged over the inferno that destroyed goods and property worth several millions of naira at a section of Ekeonunwa market. Those whose goods were destroyed were mainly those who deal on sale of compact disc items and other acessories. One of the victims of the fire who pleaded anonymity, alleged foul play on the basis that there were plans by the Imo state government to relocate them elsewhere. This view, however contradicts another report that the fire, which also gutted partly a building housing United Bank For Africa (UBA), was caused by an electric surge. Imo Trumpeta which visited the site of the fire incident was told that the fire incident might have been caused by an electric spark as a result of frequent power outages by PHCN. However, in a swift response, the Imo State government debunked the report that the fire outbreak is by its making. In a statement by the Special Assistant to Imo Governor, Hon Lisa Asugha, she said the reports were mere rumours. Asugha who sympathized with those who lost their goods described the fire outbreak as an unfortunate incident and charged those affected not to point an accusing finger on the state government, but to join hands in building the State, assuring that the attention of the State government which she described as a listening government would be drawn to the fire outbreak. “It is so disastrous that goods worth of millions have been lost in this unfortunate incident, but we should end the laying of blames or the cause of it. To me, nobody is above mistake; whatever that have caused these, I believe God alone knows the better plan for you marketers”. “We must be consoled by the fact that we now have a listening government as government of the day; a government that is highly committed to rescue every nook and cranny of the state. Let’s put blame aside, I assure you that we are on control of this situation,” she assured. It would be recalled that it took the intervention of the fire fighting men to quench the fire that destroyed the hub of film dealers and building of one of the new generation Banks close to the market.
