Traders affected by last week’s devastating fire incident at Onitsha Main Market, which destroyed goods and property valued at billions of naira, are now grappling with the aftermath. As they assess their losses, many are calling for urgent intervention from both government and private sector stakeholders to help them recover and rebuild their businesses.
Among the affected traders are Mrs. Chinonso Adline Nwokearu, who lost goods worth N220 million, Ezeji James Kelechi, who suffered a loss of N170 million, and Mr. Ndubuisi Uche Kalu, whose goods worth N280 million were destroyed. Other traders like Ogechi Sunday Ibem, Olua Ukairo, and Lewechi Emeh reported losses totaling millions of naira.
Some of these traders mentioned that their goods had just arrived in Onitsha from the ports and were offloaded when the fire broke out, leaving them with no capital to continue their operations.
In a statement, the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), the leading sociopolitical youth organization in the South East, expressed deep concern over the disaster. COSEYL President General, Goodluck Ibem, highlighted the severe financial and emotional toll the fire has taken on the traders, many of whom rely on their businesses to support their families and contribute to the economy.
“The traders are facing a grave situation, having lost everything they worked for. This disaster has left them not only financially devastated but also emotionally traumatized,” said Ibem. “We urge both the government and private sector to intervene swiftly, offering immediate relief, compensation for losses, and long-term support to help these individuals rebuild their businesses.”
The coalition also called for improved fire safety measures in business areas to prevent similar incidents in the future. They emphasized that the recovery of these traders is essential for the broader local economy.
COSEYL’s appeal for urgent intervention echoes the calls from other leaders, with Onitsha’s Deputy Speaker and the Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, pledging to collaborate with the traders to enhance market safety and provide support for the affected individuals.
As the traders count their losses and look for support, the need for swift, decisive action from both the government and private sector is clear.
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