Chief Willie Obiano, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate for the November 16 gubernatorial election in Anambra State, has consoled traders in the Polythene Dealers Market, Awada Layout, Onitsha, whose shops were burnt down in the fire outbreak that engulfed the market in the wee hours of yesterday.

Chief Obiano who described the fire incident as “unfortunate” assured the traders of his personal support and that of APGA in their trying moment, urging them not to lose hope because of the sudden turn of events.

According to him, the party has developed a master-plan that would ensure a gradual reconstruction of key markets in the leading industrial cities in Anambra State with materials that would resist fire and forestall future fire tragedies.

Chief Obiano also assured that APGA government under him would consolidate on the on-going revolution that is being implemented in the state by boosting the capacity of the State Fire Service to respond to fire alerts and fight fire more effectively.

He said he would organise capacity building trainings for firemen and equip the service with new fire trucks and other important fire-fighting machines that would facilitate a more rapid and effective response to distress calls from fire victims.

The APGA governorship candidate further explained that industrial clusters like the burnt Polythene Dealers Market would benefit immensely from his Blueprint for Anambra State as he would create an agency to be known as Anambra State Market Agency (ASMA) which would specifically work for the development and protection of all industrial clusters and markets in Onitsha, Nnewi, Ozubulu and Awka.

He also assured that he would set up Entrepreneurial Schools to train businessmen and women in the state in current global best practices in entrepreneurship that would transform their businesses and help them transit from being largely local enterprises to global players.

•Photo, courtesy Sun, shows part of the burnt Onitsha Market.