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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Rivers State Government has explained the reason for the demolition of the House of Assembly complex.
Recall that bulldozers moved into the complex on Wednesday morning and began demolition of the facility located along Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.
However, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, in a statement made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, said the demolition was due to the fire that gutted the complex and destroyed property worth millions of naira.
He said the facility was unfit for legislation, adding that the state government has already provided an alternative place for the lawmakers to carry on their affairs pending the rebuilding of the complex.
“The Rivers State Government says the decision to demolish and rebuild the 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.
“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.
“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,” he said.
The commissioner further said the government had tried all cost-saving measures towards the repair of the complex until it bowed to the superior view of rebuilding the complex into a more befitting edifice.
Explosio rocked the Rivers State House of Assembly complex on October 30.
The incident came amid alleged moves by some lawmakers to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara.