Fashion designers and others engaged in tailoring business at the famous Nsulu Market in Aba have continued to count their losses following a major fire outbreak that destroyed many shops.
The fire, which happened two weeks ago at the tailoring cluster, saw many shops destroyed along with sewing machines of various designs and clothing materials.
The market was famous for all kinds of designer clothing for both males and females as well as curtains among others.
Although some of the tailors had managed to relocate to other areas of the town where they rented shops and continued with their business, many others are left at the mercy of relations, friends and well-wishers for survival.
A victim of the inferno, Mr. Caleb Onwuchekwa, said he was on the verge of committing suicide after realising how much he lost to the fire.
“What I personally lost here is over N8 million worth of all kinds of tailoring equipment. I lost eight major industrial designers machines and six buttonhole making machines.
“I also lost some other smaller sewing machines and generators. I don’t know what to do right now. I don’t know how I can take care of my family with this situation because it is beyond me.
“I am begging the government to help me because what rings in my head now is to hang myself because I can’t bear this,” Onwuchekwa told South East Trust.
Another victim, Mr. Maduka Chuckwu, said he could not say what led to the fire outbreak.
“I don’t know what led to this fire, but from what witnesses said, it could be high voltage that suddenly occurred in the night. Nobody was inside the shops because there was a lockdown.
“Before I could manage to get here, the whole place was burnt. We lost our four industrial machines, two big power generators, two small power generators, four manual sewing machines and people’s clothes we were working on. If my calculations are correct, what we lost here is over N4 million.”
President of Association of Tailors and Fashion Designers (ATFAD), Mr. Godwin Iheme, said the fire had made many of his members poor.
Iheme, who spoke when the Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Loveth Adimoha, visited the market, pleaded for assistance from the government. He said, “I’m not happy about what happened to my colleagues here at Nsulu by Mosque Street. Millions of naira were lost to fire. “We are over 50,000 tailors in ATFAD. Accommodation has been our problem for many years. We sincerely believe that our long years of living in bad environment to produce beautiful wears is already over with the presence of the government here today.
Honestly, we are very optimistic that our plights will soon change with this visit of our commissioner.”
The commissioner, who spoke with our correspondent, sympathised with the victims and promised to report their situation to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
Adimoha said after going round the area, she had concluded that the environment was not conducive for doing business and promised to make a case for the traders to the governor.
“I sincerely sympathise with the victims. I will report back to the governor who has never hidden his love for Abia artisans.’’
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