- Countdown to Sept. 18 end of emergency rule
The rebuilding of Rivers State House of Assembly chamber has entered its final stage ahead of the September 18 end of the six-month emergency rule in the state.
The chamber was brought down in November 2023 by the government of suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, which declared it unsafe after suspected arsonists set it ablaze.
The singular incident worsened the political crisis that rocked the state and attracted outrage from various stakeholders, who saw it as a deliberate plot to dislocate the legislative arm of the government to avert Fubara’s impeachment.
Before his suspension on March 18, Fubara approved N19.6 billion for the reconstruction of the demolished structure. Work on the project was at an advanced stage when the governor was suspended.
Since he resumed office as sole administrator of the state, Vice-Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas (retd) has been making efforts to complete the project, especially after taking his first tour round the complex and describing it as the only missing democratic pillar in the state.
While on his second visit to the complex, Vice-Admiral Ete-Ibas charged the contractor to speed up work and deliver the project before the expiration of his six-month stay in office.
But on July 12, when he made a second assessment of the project, Ibas expressed disappointment over the pace of work and called on the contractor to improve its speed.
However, a visit to the project site revealed that work was at the finishing stage.
Workers were seen screeding and tiling the exterior of the complex.
Most of the window glass and interior fittings had been installed.
