Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel has restated his determination to implement all the recommendations of the report of Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up to investigate the Reigners Bible Collapse.
The Reigner Bible Church collapsed on December 10th 2016, killing over 29 people and leaving scores incapacitated.
Governor Emmanuel gave the assurance on Wednesday when he received the reports of the Commission of Inquiry from its chairman, Rtd. Justice Umoekoyo Essang, at the Executive Council Chamber, Government House Uyo.
He expressed appreciation to members of the Commission for accepting to serve in the committee and the effort they put in carrying out their responsibilities.
He stressed that they had showed much commitment to the service of the people.
“I want to thank you for this great job that you have done and to assure you once again that the recommendations of this report would be taken seriously.
“We would do everything to implement and prevent future occurrence of this tragedy. May this affliction never occur the second time,” the governor said.
He commiserated with families of those who lost their loved ones in the tragedy and specifically thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Health, Governor’s Forum, the state team and organisations and the international community for their support during the incidence.
The governor however condemned insinuations by some persons who tried to politicize the tragedy citing the recent clampdown on a criminal gang by the Police.
He said some persons had painted a wrong picture of the arrest by telling the world that it was targeted at members of a political party.
He stated that such action did not contribute to the growth of the state.
He said, “Things of this nature should go beyond politics. When the incidence occurred it did not select members of a political party, it did not only affect a particular denomination, race or colour.
“It was a tragedy that affected all. It’s unfortunate that people decided to politicise a tragedy of this nature. Such people do not deserve to express opinion in the public. “
Earlier, the chairman of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, Justice Umoekoyo Essang, commiserated with the government and people of the state over the unfortunate incidence and thanked God for sparing the life of the Governor in the church building collapse.
He expressed appreciation to the state government for trusting the commission with the assignment without interference despite insinuations from uninformed members of the public saying that the committee carried out its assigned task with inputs from a team of engineers and members of the public.
The chairman was accompanied by Mr James Utiaruk, Arc Essien Nkanga, Prophet John Linus, Engr. Asuquo Okon, Engr. James Amiang ACP D. R Abiobo and Secretary of the Commission Barr. Emem Daniel.
