The Rivers State Executive Council has given approval for the construction of a new House of Assembly quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital, at the cost of N10.1bn.
The new legislative quarters, which is expected to provide members of the State House of Assembly standard accommodation, is scheduled for completion within 16 months.
The approval for the construction of the new legislative quarters was given during the council’s meeting presided over by the State Governor, Nyesom Wike, at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Friday.
The Commissioner for Housing, Elder Chinedu Tasie, said the new quarters would be built at the same old site that the former one was constructed.
Tasie explained that the project comprises 32 four-bedroom duplexes as against the other block of flats now considered to be obsolete, adding that boys quarters would be attached to each of the duplexes.
A statement issued by the Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, quoted the commissioner as saying other features of the new legislative quarters included a multipurpose hall, green area, security accommodation, guard office, gate houses and a network of roads and underground drainages.
“It has been awarded to an indigenous company, Lubriks Construction Company, to undertake the project for a period of 16 months and the contract sum approved is N10.1bn,” the statement read in part.
Also speaking, the Commissioner of Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, said the approval for the construction was a further demonstration of government’s determination to ensure that the legislative arm in the state enjoyed decent accommodation and to also boost the synergy that exists between the two arms of government.
Nsirim said, “You will recall that in this state the relationship between the executive, legislature and the judiciary is one that is being celebrated across the country because of the leadership that His Excellency, Governor Nyesom Wike, has given in the state.
“So, we are looking forward to a global standard accommodation for our legislators, which will help them in the legislative business in the years ahead.”
