By Chuks Eke

The owners of the chemical drums that exploded and started the fire in the market are still at large, according to the panel of inquiry established by the Anambra State Government through the Onitsha South Local Government Council to determine the root cause of the November 8, 2022 fire disaster at the Onitsha Bridgehead drug market that claimed some lives and injured many others.

The panel also disclosed that the state government is yet to pay compensation to both the bereaved families of the four deceased victims of the inferno and the injured ones.

These were contained in a report submitted to the Onitsha South Local Government authorities, yesterday by the nine-man panel of inquiry headed by its Chairman, Comrade Peter Okala.

The state government had through the local government council, set up the panel of inquiry to investigate, examine and explore the remote and root cause of the tire incident and then recommendations that will forestall future occurrences.

Submitting the report to the Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Transition Committee, Chief Emeka Orji, Comrade Okala, flanked by his Secretary, Dr. Frank Udemadu, and other members of the panel explained that from
Investigations, the cause of the explosion was a chemical reaction and not a bomb blast as insinuated or assumed by some people.

According to Okala, “So many members of bridgehead market sustained injuries and some are still in the hospital while one member’s leg was amputated, three unions were affected by the explosion, which included, Ogbogwu International market, Chain saw/Allied and PS Union”.

He commended the Onitsha South Local Government Council for approving the rebuilding of the burnt shops at the drug market, without demanding a dime from the shop owners, as was the case in the past during previous local government administrations.

“The dead and the injured have not been compensated, the person/persons that caused the explosion is/are registered members of the PS union, and has/have disappeared and had not entered the market since the disaster”.

“Members are agitating for the chemical line to be moved outside the market and the promise from the government to assist in rebuilding the demolished shops has not been fulfilled”.

“Victims paid N50,000 each, totaling N1.6 million to the President General, PG, Bridgehead market and are demanding for refund. We discovered that only four persons lost their lives contrary to insinuations that they were about nine,” Okala stated

In his speech, the Secretary of the panel, Dr. Frank Udemmadu stated the need for Local Government chairmen to be allowed to pilot the affairs of the markets especially in the appointment of market leaders as the chairmen are closer to the people and know the terrain more than those appointed from Awka.

Also on the cause of the inferno in the market, he revealed that the panel was able to reach out to an erudite Professor Emeritus, Prof. Okeruru, a chemist from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and he gave them detailed information on chemicals that are inflammable and combustible.

“He pointed out that some categories of chemicals are not supposed to be stored in hot or humid areas and entirely populated environments.

“Chemicals of explosive, corrosive and inflammable nature should be banned from all markets in the state. Those that died and the injured have not been compensated, the government should do the needful”.

“Government should foot bills for the rebuilding of the shops, most especially, the ones that were brought down to create access for rescue operation and members that lost goods worth hundreds of millions of naira should be compensated as well”.

“The affected members that paid N50,000 to the PG of the market should be refunded without hesitation. We do not subscribe for the chemical line to be removed from the market but to monitor, control and make sure that those combustible chemicals be checkmated by the formation of a strong task force for the union of the market and other markets in the state.

“The government should provide alternative power soursourcesthe markets in the state, most especially solar powered, among others,” he further stated.

In his response, the Onitsha South Local Government chairman, Hon.Emeka Orji thanked the committee for executing the job properly as stipulated in their terms of reference, stating that handling of chemicals issue in the market will be his next target.

Hon. Orji pointed out that his next project will be the provision of the head bridge with the service station even though he promised to finish what he has started.

“I am working very hard to reconstruct and rebuild a new Onitsha South, I want to build an ultra-modern market at Ochanja, I started with Oduigbo, I demolished it and I will rebuild it and other parts of the market will follow suit.

Others that spoke at the event were the chairman of Chain saw/Allied products, Chief Onyebuchi Umeh; Chairman of Stakeholders/leaders of Thought, Chief Bonaventure Ucheagwu, Legal Adviser to council chairman, Chief Stanley Okakor and the secretary of the local government council, Mr Paul Onuachalla.