- The Association condemned the rejection of donations from Muntaka
- Muntaka provided food items to fire victims
- The Association requested the donations be returned for proper distribution
The Interim Executives of the BlueLight Traders Association have strongly criticized the refusal of donations from the Interior Minister, Muntaka Mubarak, by some victims of the recent fire outbreak at Adum PZ.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Association described the actions of these traders as disrespectful.
“The Interim Executive of the BlueLight Traders Association (BTLA) publicly condemns the unfortunate incident involving the disrespectful behavior of certain individuals during the visit of the Minister of Interior, Hon. Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, to our community,” the statement read.
The leadership also offered an apology for the “regrettable” event, expressing gratitude for the Minister’s concern and efforts. “The Minister graciously visited to offer support, bringing food items for the affected mothers and children who had lost everything, including their ability to provide daily meals, due to the recent fire.”
“We sincerely apologize to Hon. Muntaka for this unfortunate incident, strongly believing that it was the result of a misunderstanding and miscommunication among some members.”
The Association distanced itself from the traders’ actions, clarifying that their behavior did not reflect the intentions of the organization. They also requested that the donated items be returned for proper distribution.
“We deeply appreciate Hon. Muntaka’s empathy, compassion, and his commitment to helping rebuild the devastated BlueLight trading area. We respectfully request that the donated items be returned to be distributed to the affected members.”
After visiting the fire site on Wednesday, the Minister sent bags of rice, oil, and boxes of soap to the victims. However, the angry traders rejected the relief items, which had been delivered by truck, and sent them back.
In viral videos from the incident, the traders expressed that their primary need was capital to restart their businesses, not rice.
