MY VISIT TO EDA PLAZA, JABI
Yesterday, I visited Eda Plaza in Jabi, Abuja, where more than 45 traders lost their shops to the recent inferno that gutted part of the complex.
I met with some of the affected traders, many of whom were still clearing the debris and trying to salvage whatever could be recovered from the ruins. I expressed my deepest sympathy to them and pledged my support, however modest, as they begin the difficult journey of rebuilding their livelihoods.
For many of these traders, their shops represent years of hard work, savings, sacrifice and hope. What was lost is therefore far more than physical structures and merchandise; livelihoods have been disrupted, dreams have been set back, and families have been placed under additional hardship.
My consistent position has been that government must always care for its people, particularly in moments of difficulty and vulnerability. In times like this, leadership must be measured not only by what government builds, but also by how it stands with citizens when they lose what they have painstakingly built.
I pray that God Almighty grants the affected traders the strength, resources and opportunity to recover from this painful loss, and that their businesses and livelihoods will be restored.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO