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Wike’s 100 Days: Bountiful Harvest
Former Governor
Chibuike Amaechi had few days before his exit declared that the incoming administration led by Barrister Nyesom Wike would face challenges in carrying out developmental projects due to the decline and dwindling fortunes in the state revenue.
The ex-governor was speaking at a special thanksgiving service organized by the Greater Together Campaign Organisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Dr Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt.
He blamed the dwindling economy and quest to pay off debts owed by the government as responsible for the delay in the payment of workers salary in the state.
In the words of the former governor “…We have no money anywhere. In Rivers State, there is no money. I appreciate that Nyesom Wike is coming and we are waiting. You will look for money to pay salaries and there is none. We are bearing these pains now because we have to pay all our loans. We have paid our loans if not all, but when the next administration finishes paying salaries, we will see if any of them will be able to do what we did.”
It was not surprising therefore, that when Governor Wike came on board, no fund was left in the state coffers against the claim of the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress(APC) that the former governor left N7billion behind ,
“The Accountant-General is here and we know that we didn’t meet any money in the treasury. The only money that we met was the internally generated revenue that Skye Bank had but they had collected part of it, over one billion, so nobody left one naira”Wike declared.
But the governor did not let the situation to deter him. swung into action immediately after he was sworn –in, even though many people showed little hope in his administration to perform.
According to the Caretaker Chairman of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, Torukwein Odimabo, “nobody gave Wike the chance but he has surprised everybody and even surpassed expectations.”
Indeed, Wike in the past 100 days, has turned the state into a huge construction site. Shortly after been sworn-in, the governor flagged off the “Operation “No Pothole In Port Harcourt”. The programme which aims at ridding the state of potholes set the tone for the administration.
One will recall that almost all parts of the city’s roads and alleys were in decrepit state. The situation was made worse with heaps of refuse littering every part of the city. One of the things he did in the first week was to clear the streets and roads of refuse.
Shortly after a meeting with tank owners and tanker drivers in Government House, the governor visited the Iriebe Tankers Parking Complex and directed the immediate relocation and loading from the terminal which had been abandoned. The tankers had become a nuisance and were causing heavy traffic snarl along the Azikiwe Road and UTC Junction. He also met with waste managers and promised to offset over three months debts owed them by the previous administration.
In the first week, he also signed a memorandum of understanding with two construction giants to wit: Julius Beger Plc and Chinese firm, CCECC on road rehabilitation and repairs. He had sought the State Assembly which was opened few days after inauguration to approve the loan of N10billion to drive the scheme.
On the choice of the two firms, he said, “We don’t want to play politics with our roads and that is why we engaged these companies. While Julius Berger is expected to rehabilitate areas covering Silverbird Galleria road, parts of Ogbunabali, Tombia Extension, Evo Road, Woji Road in GRA and Azikiwe/UTC Junction, all through old Port Harcourt Township, CCECC is expected to cover all roads in Diobu axis, including drainage and other works.
When Governor Wike visited the premises of the Government Girls Secondary School, Rumuokwuta two weeks after he was inaugurated, many hailed him for his move to rehabilitate abandoned government schools. The governor was miffed with the decrepit state of facilities in the school.
He said, “ This shows that in the past for eight years, government did not think this school exist. There is no way in eight years of an administration, a school in a city yet government cannot renovate it.”
The same scenario played out at Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri, where neighbours have started encroaching into the school’s property. Already Governor Wike has set up a committee on the rehabilitation of government schools across the state. The committee is to provide template of costs and bill of quantities for the project.
Aside touching secondary education, Wike has in the past 100 days, touched tertiary education. Both the state owned University of Science and Technology and College of Arts and Science no have new administrative heads. The revamped Law Faculty building in the State university is now adjudged to be the best with the Moot Court building and library completed. The project was abandoned until Wike visited the school in June and promise to upgrade its facilities.
Similarly, the governor had visited several abandoned hospitals. Amongst those visited are those in Bori, Isiokpo and Abonnema, as he promised to commence rehabilitation works on all dilapidated general hospitals across the state. The governor believes that this will bring health care closer to the people and at the same time reduce the pressure on tertiary health facilities like the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and the state owned Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH).
Housing is one area that did not receive adequate attention in the last dispensation and which Wike is already giving attention. Currently, housing availability has become difficult with attendant high cost of rent. Challenged by the pains of the citizenry, the Wike administration kick-started 50 mixed flats housing units at Iriebe in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
Welfare of civil servants and pensioners have received adequate attention in the past 100 days. One month after he took over the sadde of the state, the governor cleared the three months backlog of arrears owed civil servants by the former administration, including that of pensioners and sports men.
Asked of his view of the administration, President of Obio/Akpor Nuhu Rebisi, Amgbom Onuoha remarked, “ Wike administration from my own point of view has done well.”
“In the area of road network, he has done marvelously well and you can see for yourself. Look at Rumuolemeni Road. Look at Elioparanwo Road down to Diobu areas, he has done marvelously well in that area.”
The legal practitioner was impressed over the way the governor resolved the protracted crisis that shut down the courts for more than nine months,
“The courts were shut down for almost a year and was opened immediately he assumed office. The legislature is fully in charge and working in the Assembly complex. You don’t have a situation where activities of the legislature were done in Government House,” he noted.
For Caretaker Chairman of Akuku –Toru Local Government Area, Torukwein Odimabo, what excites him about the Wike administration is the gusto with which he tackles challenges.
“He is a governor we need to follow. He is a governor we need to trust; whatever thing he has promised, he has fulfilled. Now, look at the road, (Abonnema/Obonoma Link Road), he even did it beyond the way we expected it. He did not only construct the bridge, he extended the length of the road for us,” he said.
Lawmaker representing Akuku-Toru Constituency 1 in the State House of Assembly, Major Jack said he cannot express his appreciation enough over how the governor has touched the lives of the people in his constituency in just 100 days.
The Alice Okolo Bridge, he noted, will boost economic life of the people, as he recalled the hardship faced by residents of the area before the project was completed.
On his assessment of Governor Wike’s administration in the past 100 days, Hon Jack retorted, “ what you are seeing today is change in all ramifications. From infrastructure to roads, just barely three months, Rivers State is changing and my constituency and my local government are beneficiaries and happy.”
Another Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart from Opobo/Nkoro, Senibo Boma Brown, observed that Wike unlike other governors took time to understudy the needs of the common people. Brown stated that he is not surprised that the governor is performing beyond expectation.
“ The way he is going about governance and doing everything possible to make life of the people better through roads, housing and other things is commendable,” he stated Wike’s policy statements on land reforms and housing have equally attracted accolades from former National Publicity Secretary of Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers(NIESV),Mr Emmanuel Mark.
Mark said “ these are sure policy statements on fast tracking title documents in five weeks. For me, that is quantum leap. It will build confidence because people can now invest and use their titles to access loans”.
Meanwhile, citizens have called on the governor to sustain the tempo and ensure that other areas of development are given attention. For Boma Brown, the governor needs to give attention to the Ogoni/Andoni/Opobo Unity Road.
“That word, ‘unity road implies that the road will create unity amongst the communities and it will engender development because the cost of building in the riverine areas is stupendous,” he said
Governor Wike has also visited the multi-billion naira project started by the Odili administration and continued by the Amaechi led administration in early part of August. He promised that by September next year, Opobo people will ride to their homes, as he blamed the past administration for discontinuing the project.
Mr. Mark however, tasked the governor on engaging professionals in manning the housing and lands ministries to inject efficiency.
“ I believe that it’s not enough to make pronouncements, once they appoint commissioners, then things will take shape”, he stated
A similar view was canvassed by the President of Obio/Akpor Nuhu Rebisi, Mr Onuoha. According to him, “ let him the governor look in the area of land administration so that people can get their land tittles as soon as possible. Apart from the revenue it will bring, it will also help people in security to procure loans from the banks.”
Akuku –Toru CTC Chairman called on Governor Wike to ensure sustainability of the projects. He argued that once that is done, then projects will stand the test of time. Citing the Abonnema/Obonoma Bridge,” he said they need to pile the foot of that bridge, so it does not collapse or pose danger to the people.”
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DEPLOY YOUR CAPACITY, TECHNICAL KNOWHOW TO REVITALISE SONGHAI FARMS, FUBARA TELLS TASK FORCE
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that diversifying the economy of the State has become inevitable because of the need to solve the problem of food shortages while also providing jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
These, he said, are the reasons why great care has been taken to critically look at the prospects of revitalising the Songhai Integrated Farms, which is located in Bunu Tai, in Tai Local Government Area of the State.
Governor Fubara insisted that if the problem associated with food shortages is tackled with good intent and purpose, about 40 to 50 percent of current problems of economic hardship plaguing the country and its people would have been solved.
Governor Fubara made the assertion while inaugurating the Chairman, Mr Biedima Oliver, and members of the task force saddled with the responsibility of supervising the revitalization of Songhai Integrated Farms by its partners: Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Other members of the task force included, the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Victor Kii; Commissioner for Finance, Barrister Emmanuel Frank-Fubara; Dr Ayebaesin Beredugo; and Mr Maurice Ogolo.
The Governor explained that it took him time to approve the constitution of the task force being inaugurated because of the ugly experience with the previous group that shown such interest.
Governor Fubara stated that a process was initiated and driven halfway into the handing over of Songhai Farms on concession to an interested partner who latter showed a total lack of the needed capacity to undertake such task.
He said, “As a matter of fact, if few of you could remember, we even conceded the place to an investor who came in after he had made his presentation, and we, believing that he has the capacity, we said okay to him, and we had already signed up.
“But something happened. He came back to tell us that he wanted us to give him a N5billion bank guarantee. We then asked him, why? If we have the N5billion, why do we need you to come and even revitalize Songhai Farms? We would have put that N5billion there ourselves. For that reason, we cancelled that arrangement.”
Governor Fubara said now that two separate companies have come together to indicate interest and given the assurance of having the needed capacity to drive the process, he is delighted to see them meeting that expectation.
Governor Fubara pointed to the expectation of the people who want to see the Songhai Farms back on stream on a sustainable basis.
That expectation, he insisted, is also what his administration wants to see actualised within its lifespan.
He noted, “We want to see food sufficiency, because we know when Songhai Farms comes on board, there will be food, which is one of the problems we are having in this country. If we are able to tackle the issue of food, 40 to 50 percent of our problem will be solved.”
Governor Fubara also stated that although he believes in the presentation made by the group and has taken their assurance to heart, but warned that he would not tolerate a repeat of what happened before.
The Governor said, “I hope your story will not be (end) halfway too. I hope you have the capacity and all the technical knowhow to handle it. It is not when we start now, after we had finished inaugurating the task force, you will come back to tell us that you need $2million. If we have $2million, we won’t need you. We will invest it by ourselves.”
Governor Fubara, however, praised the capacity of the Chairman of the task force, Biedima Oliver, saying that incidentally, he was one of the personnel that convinced the then administration to develop the Songhai Farms, and had worked with the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) to manage the project.
He said, “He knows and understands the workings of Songhai, and now that we are making you the chairman of the task force, we want to believe that you will make that place come back to life.
“I don’t have any doubt in your capacity. A few things you’ve touched, you turned them to gold. Please, bring it back to what we used to see in Songhai. Bring it back with the help of your committee.”
Governor Fubara assured that his administration will remain committed to providing all the necessary support that they may require to make their assignment a success.
He added, “So, I hereby inaugurate you. Your task is very simple: Do everything within your powers and with our support to make sure that Songhai becomes operational to the benefit, not just the people of Tai, but to the entire Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole”.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Task Force to Supervise the Revitalization of Songhai Farms with Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, Mr. Biedima Oliver, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the opportunity and confidence reposed in them to revive Songhai Farms.
Mr. Oliver assured that they will deliver the expected goal on Songhai Farms, and doing so on time and on target so that the good people of Rivers State can eventually be happy and also benefit from the huge investment.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that all the policies and programmes of his administration are tailored towards the protection of interest of Rivers people, especially the youths.
This, he said, is borne out of the importance his administration attaches to youths’ development and empowerment as leaders of tomorrow.
Fubara, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, disclosed this when he received the youths of Emohua Local Government Area under the auspices of “Emohua Youths For SIM” on solidarity visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
He said that his administration has put in place modalities that will boost the livelihoods and well-being of Rivers citizens, which youths of Emohua will also benefit when they materialise.
The governor, who spoke through the Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, pointed out that the recently awarded Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku Road, the ongoing Emohua-Kalabari Road, reinstatement of illegally sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Area and the approval for electrification of the area, are part of deliberate measures to open up the area to make life conducive and more meaningful for the people.
According to him, “Everything about the governor is putting the interest of Rivers State first. He is looking at and taking action on those things that we need to do to restart the wheels of progress in Rivers State.
“There are many things the governor has planned and is already doing that will boost the life and welfare of every citizen of Rivers State, but most importantly the youths.
“Growing up, I learnt that Egbeda is one of the biggest communities in the whole of Ikwerre, and it’s predominantly an agrarian community. They have food in Egbeda, they have food in Ubimini, they have food in Omudiaga and other natural resources. The whole world is tilting to agriculture, and this is the way to go.
“The Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Omoku road, when completed, will open up the area for real development. Your food and everything you produce there will now have value, they will no longer be thrown away. In all these, you the youths are going to be the utmost beneficiaries.”
He added, “Same will be applicable to the Emohua-Kalabari Road which will also, trigger development in the area, and you will be the greatest beneficiaries. When the LGA is also electrified, you will be having 24 or 20 hours of electricity, and those things the youths can do with electricity, you can stay at home and create wealth for yourself and children.
“All the totality of what the governor is doing, when they are completed, or even as some are completed now, the youths are going to be utmost beneficiaries.”
While acknowledging that youths are the true leaders of tomorrow and any government that fails to carry them along in the scheme of things is doomed to fail, the governor assured them of his administration’s commitment to always address issues concerning youths and ensure that they are part of his government.
He commended the youths for toeing the path of truth by identifying with his administration, urging them to sustain the tempo and shun evil, as his government will ensure that the trend whereby politicians turn youths to beggars are over.
He said, “Youths are, indeed, the leaders of tomorrow. The time of youth is a very important time. It a time that your parents or whoever is your leader at that time have to make the greatest investment in you. And any Government that decides to only carry the elderly, chiefs aling and abandon the youths is bound to fail,” he asserted.
“But I am happy that Governor Fubara has concentrated his energy on everything that will benefit the society, especially the youths.
“And based on these, I want to thank you for recognising what is good and calling it good, for shunning what is evil, for saying the Governor is standing for you.
“Let me tell you, you are on the right direction. Let me tell you again, Rivers State is the bride of Nigeria. The whole Nigeria is looking at what will happen here. As they look here and see you standing on the path of truth, this is a very important step that you have taken to right all the wrongs of the past, to make Rivers State stand on the tripod of justice, peace and security. That is what we are going to gain through the governor, taking all the wise actions that he has already initiated.
“The projects the governor is embarking on are meant to prepare nets for the youths to fish and put food on their table, hence you should continue to follow him.
“The SIMplified Movement brought upon by the governor will ensure that Rivers youths stop the habit of going to bow down before politicians, pledging loyalty before they can eat.”
Earlier, spokesman for the Emohua Youths for SIM, Comrade Ovamale O. Ovamale, had said that the visit by youths from the 14 political wards in Emohua Local Government Area was to thank the governor for the award of the Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku road, the approval for electrification of the area and reinstatement of sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Council, of which the youths were mostly affected.
According to him, “Siminalayi Fubara of recent has given Emohua Local Government road that links Elele to Omoku, which comprises over four communities in the local government.”
“Emohua Local Government has also been in darkness for eight years. No community in the local government that has light. But, of recent, because of the passion and love the governor has for the people of Emohua, he has approved the electrification of the local government.
“Also, the illegal sack of Emohua Local Government workers, for which the youths were mostly affected and without the approval of the Local Government Service Commission, the governor, in his compassionate nature, has reinstated them, and that is why we said we must come and thank His Excellency”, he said.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will collaborate and continue to consult widely in delivering a liberated State experiencing enduring peace.
Fubara said, in doing so, he would not operate as a dictator but as a member of a team that has the best interest of the State at heart and determined to leave a lasting legacy that can be celebrated.
The governor spoke during the formal presentation of Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office to the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Michael Tom, as first class tradition ruler, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Fubara stated that, during the Sixth State Executive Council meeting, N80.8billion was approved with 50 percent contract value paid already as the Government awarded the construction of the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road.
He said the project will be funded from the savings from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to underscore his administration’s prudence without also borrowing to complete the project.
“We are at a crossroad in our State where we all need to stand for what is right. It happens once in a life time. So, for now, be one of those people that will be in the course to liberate and free our dear State.
“And I know strongly that having the support of a peace-loving Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, having the support of the wonderful Council of Chiefs, having the support of the great people of Rivers State, we will bring peace in our State. We will do those things that are right to develop our State.
“We will continue to consult. We will not act as dictators. We will act as people who know that one day, we will leave, and when we leave, the way we have acted will speak for us. We will not force people to talk good about us. Our legacy will be a signature for how we led”, the governor said.
Fubara explained that he acted within the ambit of the law to upgrade the traditional stool upon which King Ateke Tom sits in recognition of his efforts in promoting peace in Okrika, and indeed, the State, and urged him to continue to do justice to everyone.
In his speech, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon Charles Amadi, congratulated King Ateke Tom for being formally presented with the Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office as first class traditional ruler.
Also speaking, former Transport Minister, Chief Abiye Sekibo, thanked the governor for fulfilling his promise of upgrading the traditional stool of Okochiri Kingdom, and pledged the support of Kirike Se people to his administration.