CITY NEWS Fire razes six shops in Abaji AMAC-IPDC to build Kafe District market
Six shops on Toto road in Abaji town were on Saturday razed down by fire which started at about 2.00a.m.
One of the traders affected, Mr. Clement Ezeh, a motorcycle spare parts dealer, said the incident happened while he was sleeping in his container shop.
He said the heat from the fire woke him up and forced the container door open and he rushed out only to discover that it had already burnt his shop and other shops.
He said the fire, which could have been caused by electric spark from one of the shops burnt down all motorcycle parts in the container.
Ezeh said his wife’s clothes were also burnt in the shop.
“There were also expensive clothes my wife always takes to the market to sell and they were all burnt in the fire. But I thank God for my life as I was able to escape,” he said.
Our reporter, who visited the scene, observed that a hair dressing saloon, a fashion designer’s shop, a boutique and a furniture shop, were among the wooden shops that were burnt down.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Abaji Area Council, Alhaji Abdulrahaman Ajiya, has sympathised with those affected by the fire incident.
Ajiya, who later visited the scene expressed sadness and promised to assist the victims in order to reduce the effect of the loss caused by the fire.
The chairman, advised residents of the area, especially shop owners to always be conscious and switch off all electrical appliances whenever they were closing from their shops. The Abuja Municipal Area Council Investment and Property Development Company (AMAC-IPDC) is set to commence the development of a new ultra-modern market, the AMAC-Kafe District Market.
The Managing Director (AMACIPDC), Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed Adamu, made this known on Friday when officials of Barumark-GNM Project Consortium and Impresit Bakolori PLC visited him in his office.
Alhaji Adamu said the meeting was to familiarise with the partner companies.
The managing director assured the companies that AMAC-IPDC would give them the necessary support to enable them to invest in the development of the market for the benefit of Kafe District residents and Abuja Municipal Area Council.
Dr. Tayo Sanni who spoke on behalf of Barumark-GNM Project Consortium, while making a brief presentation of the proposed project implementation plan, commercial assignments and conceptual design, said the Market will be located in a 4.1 hectares of land.
He said the AMAC-Kafe District market would be one of the landmark markets in the FCT.
Also speaking, the Managing Director, Barumark Investment and Development Company, Mr. Abdul Umar Mutallab, said the groundbreaking ceremony of the AMAC-Kafe District Market will be held in the first week of March.