The Rivers State Government has secured a court order restraining SPAR Market, the occupier of Port Harcourt Mall from going on with its proposed Black Friday bonanza Sales scheduled to hold from 18th to 27th November, 2022. According to a suit by the Attorney General of Rivers State against the mall, SPAR, it’s agents, servant and or Privies are restrained from conducting or holding the Spar Black Friday Sales. The State Commissioner for Environment, Barr Emenike Eke had on Tuesday said that the management of SPAR must show the environmental and safety measures put in place before it would be allowed to go on with the scheduled Black Friday Sales.
Eke, who visited the facility with the ministry’s team of directors for assessment tour, had expressed displeasure over the refusal of the management to allow for the inspection. According to a statement by his Special Assistant Media, Innocent Woke, the Commissioner reiterated that as a responsible Government, the environmental safety and health of the Rivers people must not be toyed with and that the ministry must be satisfied with the environmental safety and health put in place by the Management of the Port Harcourt Mail before the proposed event.
However, the trial Chief Magistrate, A.O Amadi-Nna, also granted an interim order restraining the Spar Market, it’s agent servant and or Privies from further obstructing Rivers State Commissioner for Environment and his staff members from assessing the Spar facilities before, during and after the scheduled Spar Black Friday event.
The order mandated that the Commissioner for Environment and his staff members should to be allowed access to the Spar facilities for the purpose of evaluating the environmental health and safety equipment. The reason according to court was aimed at preventing environmental harm, likely to be caused by the SPAR Market on the citizens. Amadi-Nna, however, adjourned the matter till the 12th of December, 2022 for hearing.
