Shasha Mayhem: FG begins rehabilitation, distributes relief items

The Federal Government has commenced rehabilitation efforts at the razed Shasha market in Ibadan.

It would be recalled that crisis had, on Thursday, erupted in the area, resulting in the loss of some lives and property.

Air Vice Marshall Alhaji Muhammed, the Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Wednesday in Ibadan urged the community to cooperate with government in its efforts to rehabilitate the market.

Muhammed, who was represented by Dr Onimode Bandele, NEMA Director, Relief and Rehabilitation, said that the agency’s team was in Ibadan to carry out detailed damage assessment and submit its report to the Federal Government.

“You will agree that rehabilitation effort is not a day’s job; it starts with detailed damage assessment.

“You are going to do profiling, you are going to do structural design and then rehabilitation process will follow.

“With cooperation from the community and the affected people, it should come to pass in no distant time.”

He urged the people to cooperate with members of the assessment team to ensure quick execution of the rehabilitation project by the Federal Government.

The NEMA boss said that the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development had also mobilised items to be delivered to displaced persons.

“At the time of the incident, the Southwest office of NEMA, the State Emergency Management Agency and other relevant stakeholders carried out a rapid assessment with a view to ascertaining the immediate need of affected persons.

“This report has been processed and as I speak to you, materials are being mobilised to be delivered to the displaced persons as a result of this incident.”

He said that the humanitarian assistance was in the form of food and non-food items.

“We have visited the displaced people in Sabo, we have seen the ones in Shasha, we have spoken to the two traditional rulers here.

“We are giving them humanitarian assistance and this humanitarian assistance is in form of food and non-food items.

“Rehabilitation will follow that concerns the structure.”

Muhammed thanked Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, traditional rulers and religious leaders in the affected areas for their support.

The traditional rulers of the affected areas and the displaced people pledged to cooperate with the NEMA team. (NAN)

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