The Rivers State Government says it will do everything humanly possible to rescue all those trapped in the collapsed building at Woji Road G.R.A. Port Harcourt alive.
The State Deputy Governor Dr. (Mrs) Ipalibo Harry Banigo stated this when she visited the scene of the collapsed 7 storey building site on Friday night.
Dr. Banigo who described the incidence as unfortunate said she was very upset by this tragic event.
‘These are the kind of things that should never happen at all, these are the kind of things which upsets me. You can imagine the degree of damage. This is happening now and a number of people need to get out very fast because we want to get them out alive.’
She said ‘we have here a number of emergency services and some construction companies that will help us lift off these debris, imagine a 7 storey building collapsing and it has basement as well, it is indeed a very sad event’.
The Deputy Governor was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Sir Kenneth Kobani, as well as well as some Commissioners and Special Advisers.
The Rivers State Government also said it has invited all those who can assist in the rescue of those trapped in the collapsed multi storey building along Woji Road in GRA, Port Harcourt.
Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo stated this at her second visit to the collapsed building site in less than 24 hours, on Saturday, 24th November, 2018.
According to her the State Chief Executive Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, had asked her to assure family members and friends of those caught up in this disaster that the Rivers State Government would ensure that they are rescued alive.
“We were here yesterday with all relevant members of the State Executive Council; we had all the Emergency Medical Services on ground in collaboration with UPTH, NEMA and others they have all been on ground working all night and am here to encourage them to keep on working because there are people there that must be rescued. Once we do the tunnelling oxygen would go in there and they will stay alive and we are not relenting on these efforts” Dr. Banigo stressed.
She said although investigations are on-going to ascertain what went wrong the top most priority at the moment is to rescue the people alive, noting that there are extant laws guiding the construction of buildings in Rivers State and whoever is culpable in this tragedy would face the full wrath of the law.
