Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Governor Nyesom Wike has assured that he will continue to make the people of Rivers happy and deliver infrastructure in various parts of the state until the 29th May 2023, his last day in office.
Wike said this while declaring that his administration will remain focused on governance despite increase in tempo of political campaigns across the country on Thursday.
The Rivers State Governor spoke at the flag-off of civil works on 17 internal roads within Rumuigbo community in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.
The flag off of the project was performed by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, a former Nigeria Minister of Agriculture.
Wike said his social contract with Rivers people who gave him their mandate demanded that he remained committed to serve them till the last day of his administration.
Governor Wike assured that he will continue to make Rivers people happy and deliver infrastructure until the 29th May 2023.
“We believe that party is a vehicle that conveys you to where you want to go. Having conveyed you to where you are heading to, you come down and begin to do governance.
“We just invited you (Lokpobiri) to come down and see what we are doing in the State.
“So many people are distracted by campaign. We are not going to be distracted by campaign. We want to focus on the development of our community. I will work until 29th of May, 2023 because that is the day my agreement will terminate with the people of Rivers State.”
Dismissing comments by critics that Rumuigbo community has never benefited from his administration, governor Wike reminded them of the reconstruction work carried out on the Omoi-Orosi road handled by Julius Berger Nigeria PLC with the effective drains channelled through Okocha Streets to the nearby stream.
According to Governor Wike, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC was also contracted to handle the Obi Wali Road though perennial flooding is still experienced in the area.
To solve the perennial flood experienced around the Obi Wali road axis, Governor Wike pointed to a particular land that is considered to be suitable to channel the flash water and assured that the Rivers State government will acquire the land for that purpose.
“We have said severally and many people have made one or two comments that what has Rumuigbo benefited from this government.
“We have always told people, yes, our tenure will expire on 29th of May, 2023, all the communities that are within our jurisdiction, we will do all we can to make sure we bring development to the area.
“But let it be on records, since I came, this community has produced two commissioners in Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC); Prof. Reginald Amadi and Dr.(Mrs) Ihuoma Chuku.
“You have also produced Dr. Kinikanwo Green who has been chairman of the Rivers State Primary Healthcare Board. So, in terms of appointment, it will be difficult for anybody to say you have not gotten anything.”
Governor Wike also donated N200M for the rebuilding of the palace of the Eze Apara in the area.
Performing the flag-off, former Minister of Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri informed that he had within the last three days accompanied governor Wike to flag-off strategic roads projects plus the one he was flagging off.
These and many other projects, Senator Lokpobiri noted are what has marked governor Wike as the king of infrastructure delivery, which is an unprecedented approach to governance in Nigeria.
Such strides, Senator Lokpobiri remarked, are evidence of the unlimited love governor Wike has for Rivers people, and dare say that he is also a direct beneficiary because he lives in Port Harcourt.
Senator Lokpobiri thanked governor Wike for his singular contributions towards the promotion of the legal profession in Nigeria. It is not only for building the best Law School Campus in Port Harcourt, he asserted, but also for improving the facilities at the South-South Law School Campus in Yenagoa.
Rivers State Commissioner, Dr. George-Kelly Dakorinima Alabo provided the description of the project, and said there are a total of 17 streets that make up the Rumuigbo internal roads.
In all, he explained that the roads measure a total of 8.3 kilometres long, 6 meters in width, has drains on both sides of the same size of 600 millimeter by 600 millimeters cross section-ally with 150 millimeter wall thickness and 150 millimeter base concrete.
Dr. Alabo said the project has been scheduled for completion within the six months and the contractor has been mobilized about four weeks ago.
