Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed gratitude that no lives were lost in Monday’s fire incident that damaged a section of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt.
During an inspection of the affected area on Tuesday, Governor Fubara described the incident as unfortunate but thanked God for sparing lives, noting that the Secretariat’s crèche which caters to the babies of civil servants was the most affected section.
He announced the immediate reactivation of his administration’s earlier plan to carry out a comprehensive renovation of the State Secretariat, saying the fire had made the project even more urgent.
“It is really unfortunate, but we give God all the glory that no life was lost,” he said. “The renovation and refurbishing of this foremost State Secretariat has been on the drawing board, but with this incident, there’s now every reason to begin immediately. Whatever it takes, this government will swing into action.”
Governor Fubara commended civil servants for their continued support and recalled that his administration had earlier invested in upgrading the State Fire Service before the current emergency. He noted that the swift response of firefighters prevented what could have been a major disaster.
He reaffirmed his government’s commitment to initiatives that would enhance the welfare of Rivers people and promote the overall development of the state.
