Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has assured victims of the fire outbreak that ravaged a section of the SPAR shopping complex in Calabar of the state government’s full support, promising immediate intervention to mitigate the impact of the incident and facilitate the recovery of affected businesses.
Otu disclosed this on Saturday when he visited the scene of the incident to assess the extent of the damage, commiserate with the management and traders affected by the fire, and reassure them that the government would not abandon them at a moment of such distress.
Represented by his deputy, Peter Odey, he expressed deep concern about the unfortunate incident, assuring the affected victims of government support and interventions to calm the situation.
He said, “We are here to identify with the management, the traders and everyone who has been affected, and to assure them that they are not alone at this difficult moment.”
The governor, who disclosed that he had interacted with the management of the shopping complex, said the exact cause of the fire was yet to be established, although preliminary indications suggested a possible electrical fault.
“We have spoken with the management, but at this stage, we cannot conclusively say what caused the fire. There are indications that it may have been electrical, but we must allow the appropriate authorities to conduct their investigations before arriving at a definitive conclusion,” he explained.
The governor further disclosed that the Director-General of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had already commenced arrangements to assess the damage and identify the immediate needs of those affected.
“The Director-General of SEMA is already on the matter. The agency will carry out a proper assessment of the damage, identify the victims and establish the areas where immediate relief is required,” he said.
According to him, the state government would go beyond merely assessing the damage by taking practical steps to assist affected businesses to recover from the devastating incident.
“Our objective is not just to come here, sympathise with the victims and leave. We want to see how government can support them to get back on their feet. We will provide the necessary support within the capacity of government to ensure that the affected businesses can resume operations as soon as reasonably possible,” he emphasised.
The governor stressed that the government would also examine the circumstances surrounding the incident with a view to preventing a recurrence, saying, “We will look at what happened, identify the gaps and take appropriate measures to ensure that an incident of this nature does not happen again.”
Otu also commended the Cross River State Fire Service for its prompt response, noting that the agency had been adequately equipped by the state government to respond to emergencies.
“I want to commend the Cross River State Fire Service. They responded promptly and professionally to this emergency. This is why it is important for us to continue investing in our emergency-response institutions. When disaster strikes, every minute matters.”
