The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Rivers State Administration has mandated the immediate renovation of the dilapidated State Secretariat complex.
The committee also directed the urgent relocation of civil servants from hazardous work environments.
The directive followed an emergency inspection tour on Friday led by the committee Chairman, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere, who assessed both the state secretariat and the Rivers State House of Assembly project.
Rep. Ihonvbere described the state secretariat’s state as “more deplorable than facilities in war-torn Gaza.”
He cited structural hazards, weak floor tiles, leaking roofs, and exposed electrical wiring, absence of basic amenities or furniture, and life-threatening environments, particularly on the 6th and 7th floors, now declared “unfit for human occupation.”
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The committee chairman ordered the immediate closure of compromised floors, emergency relocation of staff to alternative secured office spaces, comprehensive renovation of the entire secretariat complex, and a contractor review meeting for the delayed Assembly complex project
While condemning the infrastructure failures, the committee praised the civil servants for maintaining operations under “unconscionable conditions,” particularly those working on the dangerous upper floors.
The inspection revealed that the contractor handling the Rivers State House of Assembly project will miss the September completion deadline, prompting the committee chairman to schedule an emergency meeting with the contractor
The state administration is expected to commence compliance measures within 48 hours.
