By Kehinde Erin
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has shown his commitment to supporting victims of the devastating GSM village fire incident in Lokoja.
The state government has donated over N34 million to help those affected recover from their losses.
This gesture demonstrates the government’s dedication to providing relief and support to those impacted by the fire.
The Deputy Governor, Joel Salifu Oyibo, who doubles as Chairman of the State Emergency Management Board, and representing the Governor, presented compensation cheques to the victims on Wednesday, emphasising the government’s commitment to supporting them.
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The fire incident, which occurred on September 12, 2024, left a trail of destruction, affecting numerous shops and properties valued at millions of naira.
Governor Ododo’s administration has pledged to support the rebuilding of the GSM village, acknowledging its importance as a source of livelihood for many youths and women in the state.
Governor Ododo, who swiftly responded to the GSM village fire incident, visited the scene a day after the disaster, and established a committee, led by the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (KOSEMA), to investigate the underlying causes of the fire and provide compensation to those affected.
He reiterated the administration’s commitment to providing swift relief and long-term support to all residents of Kogi state.
“We came here after the fire incident and promised you that we would come back. We sympathise with all the victims of the incident. The committee has done inventory of those affected by the fire incident, and we are going to compensate people according to the enumeration process. We are here today to fulfill the promise we made to you the Deputy Governor said.”
The compensation ranged from N500,000 to N1 million and N5 million, providing much-needed financial relief to those affected by the disaster.
According to Muktar Atimah, the Executive Secretary of KOSEMA, the compensation amounts were tiered based on the nature of the victims’ businesses. Those who owned shops selling phones and phone accessories received higher compensation amounts, while phone repairers received relatively lower amounts.
“We are also happy that the governor responded quickly and approved the exact sum of N34.2m we estimated for compensation to affected victims. This shows that the governor is feeling what you’re facing.
“We checked the cash flow and business account of victims, we went forensics before we arrived at the estimations. This was done devoid of religion, tribe or political affiliations of the affected victims.”
The committee in its report however, recommended that the GSM village be relocated for safety purposes.
The Secretary of the GSM Village Phone Association, Miracle Elom, expressed heartfelt gratitude to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, for his generous compensation to victims of the GSM village fire incident.
Elom promised that the association would make good use of the funds provided, even as he acknowledged the governor’s kindness and commitment to supporting those affected by the disaster.
Dignitaries from the Kogi State government who attended the presentation, including the State Commissioner for Water Resources, Engr. Yahaya Farouq, and Bin-Ebiya Shehu Tijani, the member representing Lokoja 1 in the state Assembly amongst others.
