By Tayo Joseph Lagos, Nigeria
Governor Wike declares commitment to the delivery of projects
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that his administration will continue to deliver projects that will improve the living condition of the Rivers People.
In a live interview on Rhythm FM Port Harcourt on Monday, Governor Wike assured the people that he will never disappoint them.
The governor said that he will never make empty promises to the people because his administration is built on transparency, accountability and commitment to the welfare of the people.
The governor described as unfortunate the statements made by the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Mr Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi on projects and programmes across the state.
He said: “It is unfortunate that someone who was celebrating his 52nd Birthday would tell Rivers people what is not correct. The immediate past administration abandoned projects by previous administrations. But we chose to complete projects that they abandoned. We completed all the projects that will positively impact the lives of our people.
“We inherited N14.7billion as salaries and pensions from the Amaechi administration, which we cleared. N23.2billion loan from Zenith Bank was also inherited and cleared by us. Another agriculture loan obtained by that administration was cleared by my administration “.
On the abandoned projects inherited by his administration, Governor Wike informed that contrary to claims by Amaechi, his administration paid the contractors N6billion to complete the Epirikom-Rumuolumeni Road which was awarded in 2012 at the cost of N10.3billion. He said that road was less than 25 percent completed at the time his administration took over.
He said that the Nkpogu Bridges was awarded by the immediate past administration, but were not constructed because of a dispute between the contractor and that administration. He stressed that his administration inherited the contractors, negotiated and paid the contractors for the bridges, which have been delivered and commissioned.
The governor said that Amaechi merely returned to the state to launder his image, in view of the collapsed APC structure in the state.
He pointed out that the administration paid for and completed the abandoned Ozuoba-Ogbogoro-Rumuolumini Road and is already working on the abandoned Garrison-Trans Amadi -Elelenwo which will be completed in December.
He also stated that the administration is working on the Elelenwo -Akpajo road and Ochigba road in Ahoada East Local Government Area, which was abandoned by the previous administration due to political consideration.
Governor Wike said that his administration initiated new projects that have impacted the lives of the people, positively.
He listed the 42 roads in Diobu, roads in Borikiri, Ogbunabali Internal Roads, Isiokpo Internal Roads, Elele-Alimini internal roads, Omoku Internal Roads, Igwuruta-Chokocho road, Chokocho-Rumukrusi road, Ulakwo II-Afara-Nihi Road, Eneka-Rukpokwu road, Rukpokwu-Aluu among other road projects.
The governor added that his administration has revived the state’s secondary healthcare sector by totally rehabilitating 13 General Hospitals, while over 300 primary schools are being renovated and equipped under the state universal basic education programme.
Governor Wike explained: “His (Amaechi) anger is that I have been given the name , Mr Projects. I came to serve the people. You are comparing your eight years with my two years”
He said that the former governor ran a morally bankrupt administration, which extorted money from commissioners and local government areas through his wife.
“When I was chief of staff to Amaechi, all LGA chairmen and Commissioners were paying N3m and N2m respectively to Amaechi’s wife monthly.
“‘My Academic background cannot be compared with that of Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, I have never had a poor grade. I went to Universityof Port Harcourt , where I studied Political Science. I went to Rivers State University , where I studied law. I went to Law School and I came out successfully’.
He said that the administration has improved security through the funding of the operations of security agencies and the regular payment of monthly allowances. He informed that his administration inherited six months unpaid monthly allowances to security agencies, which has been cleared.
The governor said that APC is dead in Rivers and the plot to use security agencies to rig in 2019 will not work as the people will resist any form of electoral robbery.
He explained that the administration is addressing environmental sanitation challenges as part of its urban renewal programme.
