Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, has sympathised with the management and staff of NTEPS Supermarket following a recent fire incident in the retail conglomerate.
Governor Emmanuel conveyed his sympathy to the management of the conglomerate when he visited the site of the incident to assess the situation.
The governor, who was represented by the Chairman of the State One-Stop-Shop Investment Committee and Secretary to the State Government, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, asked the management not to be discouraged by the temporary setback.
He spoke of the proprietor of the supermarket as one of the investors who has contributed to the economic development of the state, describing him as a brand in the supermarket sector of the state.
“His Excellency, the Governor has directed us in the one-stop-shop committee meeting to come and visit you to see what has happened to an Akwa Ibom son who is an investor contributing to the development of the state by investing in Nteps Supermarket that has become a brand in the Supermarket industry in Akwa Ibom State.
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“We came here to assess the situation of the place and sympathize with you and give you words of encouragement that we are particularly thrilled that you have the indomitable Akwa Ibom spirit,” he stated.
The governor advised the management of the firm to assess the integrity of the building before the commencement of operations and appealed to business owners to always provide fire fighting and safety equipment like fire extinguishers, smoke and fire sensors as well as organise safety training for their personnel to tackle eventualities.
The Chief Executive Officer, Nteps Supermarket, Elder Akpan Ntekpere, in his response thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for sending a delegation of government to visit his business concern gutted by fire a few days ago.
Elder Ntekpere acknowledged that the timely visit of the government has given him a sense of encouragement, adding that the Supermarket has been a source of livelihood to a lot of persons employed at the mall and thanked God for sparing the lives of his staff during the inferno.
