As part of efforts to express solidarity with victims of the recent fire disaster at the Jos Main Market, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of JOKATU Property Development Limited, Mr. John Gamasaura Katura, has commended the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, for his prompt response to the tragedy.
In a sympathy message issued on Wednesday, Katura described the April 29, 2025 fire incident as a devastating loss not just to traders, but to the entire people of Plateau State.
“I join the people of Plateau State in expressing my gratitude to His Excellency, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, for his immediate reaction and commiseration with those affected and the people of Plateau over this most unfortunate incident,” he said.
While praising the governor’s show of leadership and empathy, Katura urged the Plateau State Government to move swiftly to support affected traders and rebuild confidence among those who lost their means of livelihood.
“I call on the Plateau State Government to intervene and mitigate losses incurred by the victims of the fire inferno,” he stated.
Katura further stressed the need for transparency and preventive measures, calling for a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire and for the findings to be made public.
“I further call for a thorough investigation into the cause of the incident and the report made public to prevent future occurrences,” he said.
He noted that while expressions of sympathy were important, proactive steps must be taken to avoid a recurrence of such disasters in the future, especially in a market as central to the economy of Plateau State as the Jos Main Market.
Katura described the fire as a blow to the economy of the state, and sympathised with traders who lost goods and businesses in the inferno.
“This is a very big loss not only to the affected traders but the entire market association as well as people of Plateau State,” he noted.
“I urge the victims to take this ugly incident as one decreed by the Almighty God and pray that He bring succour to those affected and save us from future incidents,” he added.
Several shops were razed in the fire that broke out at the Jos Main Market on Tuesday, with traders counting losses running into millions of naira. The state government has since promised to investigate the incident and support victims.
