By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

ABUJA — DISTURBED by the incessant fire disasters in markets across the country, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has urged the managements of such facilities to always employ all modern means of preventing and combating fire disasters.

The Senate President, whose advice was contained in a statement in reaction to the latest fire incident at the popular Abubakar Rimi Market, in Kano, said such measure would ensure traders were not subjected to harrowing losses again.

In the statement, which he issued through Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Saraki commiserated with victims of the fire disaster that ravaged the Sabon-Gari market in Kano in the early hours of Saturday, leading to the destruction of goods and properties worth millions of Naira.

He said:  “The continuous loss of merchandise and property in many commodity markets in the country and Kano in particular to fire disasters has reached a worrisome level that requires urgent measures to combat the trend.

“These fire incidents had deprived our hard working and determined traders the means of livelihood and survival and these are expectedly breadwinners of their families. In addition, these losses represent the depletion of national wealth as most of the victims constitute a significant chunk of entrepreneurial class who are supposedly great contributors to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

“This is most unfortunate to the economy of Kano State, more so, coming after the destruction of Kurmi market, the oldest market in Kano by fire, and the recent inferno at the furniture section of Abubakar Rimi market

“The Senate is pained by the loss, and I seize this opportunity to underscore the need for adequate preventive measures against fire disasters in our markets. All markets in the country must be built with the plans to prevent outbreak of   fire incident and equipped with fire fighting equipment. Also, market women should be constantly trained in fire preventive measures and drills.”He urged the state government to ensure thorough investigation  of the incident to unravel the cause of the  fire and forestall a recurrence.