Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has ordered the immediate renovation of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex following a fire incident that damaged parts of the facility on Monday evening.
The fire, which affected a section of the Podium Block—specifically the crèche used by civil servants—was swiftly contained by the combined efforts of the State Fire Service, federal responders, and military personnel. No casualties were reported, and the damage was limited to one wing of the building.
Governor Fubara visited the site early Tuesday morning to assess the extent of the damage and meet with civil servants and top government officials. Addressing the press, he described the incident as “unfortunate” but emphasized it as a wake-up call to accelerate long-standing plans for the refurbishment of the secretariat.
“We’ve been talking about the renovation of our foremost secretariat. With this particular incident, there should be no further delay. Whatever is required by this government to commence that process, we will immediately swing into action,” Fubara stated.
He commended the prompt response of the fire service and highlighted the importance of prior investments in emergency infrastructure. “If not for our proactive steps in strengthening the fire service, this situation could have been far worse,” he added.
The Head of Service, Dr. Inyingi Brown, confirmed that the fire was likely caused by an electrical fault and urged civil servants to adopt better safety practices, including unplugging devices at the close of work.