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From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has assured victims of the fire outbreak at the SPAR shopping complex in Calabar of the state government’s support, pledging immediate intervention to mitigate their losses and assist affected businesses to recover.
The governor’s assurance was conveyed on Saturday by his Deputy, Peter Odey, who visited the scene to assess the damage and commiserate with the management, traders and other victims of the incident.
Odey said the government was concerned about the impact of the fire and would not abandon those whose businesses and livelihoods had been affected.
“His Excellency, the Governor, is deeply concerned about this unfortunate incident. 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,” he said. He said the government would assess the extent of the damage and determine the immediate assistance required to support the victims and facilitate the recovery of affected businesses.
“The government will not abandon anybody who has suffered losses as a result of this incident. We are going to assess the extent of the damage and determine what immediate intervention is required to assist the victims and support the recovery process,” Odey said.
The deputy governor said the cause of the fire had not been conclusively established, although preliminary indications pointed to 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 said.
He disclosed that the Director-General of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had commenced arrangements to assess the damage, identify the victims and determine their immediate needs.
Odey said the government’s intervention would go beyond sympathy and damage assessment, stressing that practical measures would be taken to help affected businesses resume operations.
“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,” he said.
He also said the government would examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and address identified gaps to reduce the risk of a recurrence.
Odey commended the Cross River State Fire Service for its prompt response, as well as the Federal Fire Service for joining the effort to contain the blaze.
“I want to commend the Cross River State Fire Service. They responded promptly and professionally to this emergency,” he said.
He also praised the firefighters for risking their lives to protect lives and property, saying their response underscored the importance of strengthening emergency-response institutions.
The Deputy Governor commended the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies for securing the premises and preventing looting or other criminal activities after the fire.
He further disclosed that the state government was taking measures to address environmental and infrastructural risks around the affected area.
According to him, water was already being redirected from Channel 1 to reduce the risk to houses and other structures along the drainage corridor.
“We have already started redirecting the water from Channel 1. The objective is to ensure that houses along that line are no longer exposed to the danger of collapse. We cannot wait until another disaster occurs before we act,” he said.
Odey expressed concern over the series of emergencies recently recorded in Calabar, including fire outbreaks and landslides, saying the incidents required stronger preventive measures and coordinated emergency planning.
He disclosed that the state government was engaging federal institutions, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the South-South Development Commission and agencies responsible for the National Ecological Fund, to address challenges requiring resources and technical support beyond the state’s capacity.
“The Governor has made it clear that the safety and welfare of Cross Riverians remain paramount. We will continue to work with federal agencies and other stakeholders to ensure that we respond adequately to emergencies and also put measures in place to prevent them,” he said.
Odey urged the management of SPAR and affected traders to remain calm and cooperate with SEMA and other agencies during the damage assessment.
“We may not be able to undo what has happened, but we can reduce the pain, support recovery and ensure that the lessons from the incident are used to prevent a recurrence,” he said.
