Rivers State Government has initiated the demolition of the State House of Assembly complex, located along Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.
The demolition, which began on Wednesday, was confirmed by the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson.
According to Johnson, the decision to raze the complex was prompted by a devastating fire that engulfed the facility in October, resulting in the destruction of property worth millions of naira. The extensive damage rendered the assembly building unsuitable for legislative activities.
The government, as part of its commitment to ensuring uninterrupted legislative activities, has already provided an alternative location for lawmakers to conduct their affairs temporarily.
The statement read,
“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 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.”
It’s worth noting that the October explosion at the assembly complex occurred amid reported attempts by some lawmakers to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The incident raised concerns about the security and stability of the political environment in Rivers State.
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Commissioner Johnson emphasized that the government had explored various cost-saving measures for repairing the damaged complex. However, after careful consideration, it was decided that rebuilding the assembly complex into a more modern and fitting edifice would be a superior course of action.
“In the interim, the Rivers State Government has provided an alternative venue for the House of Assembly to conduct their affairs pending the rebuilding of the complex, ” the statement added.
