Otu Assures SPAR Fire Victims of Govt Support, Recovery Assistance
By Missang Akpet
Governor Bassey Edet Otu of Cross River State has assured businesses and individuals affected by the fire that ravaged a section of the SPAR shopping complex in Calabar of the State Government’s support, pledging assistance to facilitate their recovery and return to normal operations.
Governor Otu gave the assurance through his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Dr. Peter Odey, who represented him during an on-the-spot visit to the scene of the incident on Saturday to assess the situation and convey the Governor’s solidarity to those affected.
Speaking to newsmen at the scene, Odey, on behalf of the Governor, expressed sympathy to the victims, noting that he had interacted with the manager of the shopping complex to obtain a first-hand account of the incident.
He said the cause of the fire was yet to be established, although preliminary indications suggested that it might have been electrical in origin.
Governor Otu assured the affected businesses that they would not be abandoned in their moment of difficulty, adding that the Director-General of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA) had already commenced steps to assess the extent of the damage and provide immediate relief.
“Government will not abandon you at this trying moment. The Director-General of SEMA is already taking steps to assess the extent of the damage and provide immediate relief to those affected,” he said on behalf of the Governor.
Otu further assured the victims that the State Government would provide the necessary support to enable the affected businesses recover and resume operations as soon as possible, while measures would also be taken to prevent a recurrence of the incident.
The Governor commended the Cross River State Fire Service for its prompt response to the emergency, noting that the service had been adequately equipped to respond effectively to incidents of this nature.
He also appreciated the Federal Fire Service for joining the state firefighters in containing the blaze, while commending all the firefighters who risked their lives to prevent further destruction.
Otu equally commended the police and other security agencies for maintaining security around the facility and preventing looting of the affected shops.
The Governor assured residents that his administration would continue to respond promptly to emergencies across the state, disclosing that water was already being redirected from Channel 1 to mitigate the risk of further incidents.
According to him, the intervention would ensure that houses along the affected line would no longer be exposed to the risk of collapse.
Otu expressed concern that Calabar had, within a short period, experienced a series of calamities, including fire outbreaks and landslides, stressing the need for coordinated intervention to protect lives and property.
He disclosed that the State Government was already working with federal agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), South-South Development Commission (SSDC) and the National Ecological Fund, to respond to the recent disasters and provide support to affected persons.
The Governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property, supporting businesses affected by disasters and strengthening emergency preparedness and response mechanisms across Cross River State.
