Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, on Monday expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu and governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress for approving ₦8 billion to assist victims of the recent fire outbreak at Singer Market in Kano.
The governor gave his reaction in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Sunusi Tofa, a day after the Federal Government announced the financial support.
The intervention followed the massive fire that swept through the popular market over the weekend, destroying goods and properties worth billions of naira and leaving many traders stranded.
According to the state government, the support package consists of ₦5 billion from the Federal Government and ₦3 billion contributed by APC governors across the country. The governor described the assistance as timely and said it would help traders who suffered heavy losses to begin rebuilding their businesses and support their families.
He said the move showed concern for citizens facing hardship due to unexpected disasters. He also commended the APC governors for working together to provide help to those affected.
Governor Yusuf assured residents that the funds would be used openly and properly. He said the money would go towards rebuilding damaged shops and giving direct relief to verified victims of the fire.
The donation was made public during a visit to the market by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who met with traders and community leaders to assess the damage and deliver the message of support from the Federal Government.
Reports from market leaders indicated that more than 1,000 businesses were affected by the blaze. Several traders said they lost goods valued at millions of naira. One trader disclosed that his losses alone ran into hundreds of millions.
Emergency responders and firefighters battled the flames for hours before bringing the situation under control. Authorities later traced the cause of the fire to an explosion involving a solar battery system within the market.
Before the federal support was announced, the Kano State Government had appealed for urgent assistance and called for improved firefighting facilities to prevent future incidents.
The latest development brings some relief to the affected traders, many of whom are now looking forward to restarting their businesses after the devastating incident.