Fubara Visits Fire-Ravaged Rivers Secretariat, Orders Swift Rehabilitation

|By Chinwendu Nwani

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has vowed immediate rehabilitation of the section of the State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt that was gutted by fire on Monday evening.

The affected area—used as a creche for civil servants’ babies—was partially destroyed before firefighters brought the blaze under control.

Governor Fubara visited the scene on Tuesday morning to personally inspect the damage, where he was warmly received by jubilant civil servants, the Head of Service, and Permanent Secretaries, including newly sworn-in Mr. Austin Ezekiel-Hart.

“It’s really unfortunate, but we thank God no life was lost and the damage was limited to one section,” the Governor told reporters.

He described the incident as a wake-up call to accelerate the long-delayed renovation of the Secretariat Complex, assuring that his administration would begin the process without further delay.

“We’ve talked about renovating our foremost secretariat. With this incident, there should be no excuses. We’ll swing into action immediately,” Fubara affirmed.

The Governor praised the State Fire Service for their quick response, noting that the government’s prior investment in three fire stations helped prevent greater damage.

“Before the emergency rule, we invested heavily in the fire service. I wonder what would have happened without a functional response team,” he said.

Governor Fubara also commended civil servants for their resilience and loyalty, promising to continue policies that will enhance their welfare and improve the lives of all Rivers people.

“We’ll keep doing the things that uplift our people and make them happy,” he concluded.