The Rivers State Government has explained the reason for the demolition of the State House of Assembly complex.
The state government said the exercise was carried out on the advice of consultants, who warned that the building is no longer habitable.
This disclosure is contained in a statement issued by the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joseph Johnson, on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.
The government said the advice to demolish and restructure the building was predicated on the recent fire that gutted the complex and destroyed property worth millions of naira, which the commissioner said rendered the facility unfit for legislation.
What the Rivers State Government is saying
Johnson said further said the state government has already provided an alternative place for the lawmakers to carry on their affairs pending the rebuilding of the complex.
The statement reads, "The Rivers State Government says the decision to demolish and rebuild the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex was due to the structural defects which arose mainly as a result of the recent explosion and fire incident which rendered the main building unfit for human use.
"After the visit of the governor to inspect the level of damage done to the building on the day of the fire incident, it became necessary to invite professionals to advise the government on the integrity of the building.
"It would be recalled that on the night of the attack on the complex, explosive dynamites were used to attack the complex which shook it to its foundation.
"There were visible cracks on the walls afterwards, and the entire structure looked frail and unsafe for legislative business
"After the assessment of the integrity of the complex, the experts warned the government that continuing to use the building in its present state would be disastrous."
What you should know
Recall that on October 30, an explosion rocked the Rivers State House of Assembly complex with some properties in the chamber said to have been destroyed.
According to media reports, the incident was said to have occurred when some suspected arsonists threw an explosive into the complex around 9.30 pm, thereby causing a fire outbreak in the assembly building.
This is coming amidst rumours of moves by some lawmakers to impeach the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
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