The President of the Ndigbo Amaka Traders Association, Chinedu Ukatu, has admonished the Lagos State Government to shift its response to market fires from condolence visits to investing in prevention, calling for improved electrical installations, firefighting facilities and compulsory insurance.
Speaking at the presentation of a documentary titled “Burning Point: Inside Lagos Fire” by CBI News in Lagos on Monday, Ukatu said recurring fires and the difficulties traders faced afterwards required a more proactive approach to protecting markets and livelihoods.
“The government has been good at visiting the markets. That is the truth. But not good at preventing the next fire.
“When there is a fire incident, everybody runs to that very place. We talk. But what is important to us is preventing the next fire.
“We need to move from condolence to prevention investment. Enough of condolence. When we invest in prevention, it is going to help all of us,” the market leader noted.
While commending the Lagos State Fire Service for its emergency response, he questioned whether the pledge to deploy firefighting trucks to markets had been fulfilled.
As part of the proposed preventive measures, the market leader called for collaboration between the state government, the Ministry of Power and traders’ associations to replace deteriorating electrical wiring in major markets.
He said traders would struggle to finance the work alone but could help identify locations requiring urgent attention.
“Look at the dilapidated wiring system in the markets. If you say the traders should do it alone, it is going to be difficult,” Ukatu added.
“Can the Lagos State Government partner with the Ministry of Power and see how we can get this thing done? Help us rewire and ensure proper electrification for the good of all of us. That is part of the prevention investment.”
He also sought government support for traders already rebuilding and modernising their shops, citing reconstruction efforts at Alaba and other markets.
According to Ukatu, financial assistance could expand projects being undertaken without government support and help traders improve market infrastructure.
He further proposed compulsory insurance for markets, although the supplied recording ended before the proposal was explained in detail.
He also alleged that some traders were being required to pay money before gaining access to their shops to retrieve goods after incidents, describing such demands as an additional burden on people already facing losses.
Also, in a keynote address, the Director-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs Margaret Adeseye, said the government’s fire prevention interventions included expanding fire station coverage, establishing zonal headquarters, procuring operational equipment, training personnel and developing supporting infrastructure to improve the Service’s emergency readiness.
She said the measures were necessary to meet Lagos’s growing public safety demands, given its expanding commercial, industrial, transportation and residential activities.
According to her, the 62 vehicles procured by the government comprise different operational categories, including fire engines, water tankers, rapid intervention vehicles, maintenance vehicles and hydraulic ladder platforms.
She explained that the vehicles support firefighting, water supply, personnel mobilisation, equipment maintenance and specialised access during emergencies.
Adeseye, however, stressed that acquiring equipment must be matched with regular maintenance, proper deployment, adequate training and effective operational coordination.
“The fundamental mandate of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service is to save lives and protect property,” she said.
She identified firefighting, fire prevention, rescue operations and human resource development as the Service’s core responsibilities, noting that prevention remained essential to reducing casualties and economic losses.
She said the government recruited an additional 685 personnel between 2019 and 2023 and supported local and international training to improve their technical competence and professional development.
Earlier, the Founder and Executive Vice Chairman of Baywood Group, Emperor Chris Ibe, called for a stronger commitment to solution-driven journalism, public accountability and constructive engagement, saying the media must go beyond reporting events to investigate the causes of societal problems and recommend practical solutions.
He said the value of the media should not be measured solely by its journalistic output, technological innovation or commercial performance, but also by its contribution to public enlightenment, accountability, informed debate and national development.
He noted that the documentary provided an opportunity to examine the human and economic consequences of fire incidents while encouraging conversations about prevention, emergency preparedness and institutional accountability.