Wike: We Have Stabilised Rivers Economy

•  explains why he started with renewal of Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that his administration has stabilised the economy of state through the strategic release of funds via payment of salaries and payment for key projects.

He also explained that he started with the renewal of infrastructure in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas because both towns support majority of the population of the state.

The governor also assured the people of the state that he would execute key projects in all the 23 local government areas, saying no local government area would be denied the impact of good governance.

The governor spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt during a town hall meeting tagged: “Accounting for Governor Nyesom Wike’s administration: One Year After”, where he fielded questions from the people of the state.

He said: “We have stabilised the economy of Rivers State since we took of the reins of leadership in the state. We achieved the stabilisation of the economy by injecting N151 billion as salaries and payment of contractors.
“These funds have helped us to rebuild our economy which was badly damaged by the immediate past administration.”

The governor said no project would be abandoned by his administration. According to him, his administration will only award projects that will be completed within the life-span of his administration.

He said the renewal of Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas had enhanced the economy of the state as more investors were confident to invest in the state.

He stated that that his administration has reconstructed 46 roads under the Operation Zero Potholes, completed 15 roads “abandoned by the immediate past administration” and also completed and inaugurated 27 new roads initiated by his administration.

He also announced that the State Government is building an ICT compliant security infrastructure to help fight crime and empower the security agencies to be more proactive.

Wike informed the people that measures have been put in place to tackle cultism across the state.

He said: “When I met with the President, I told him that we will tackle cultism and insecurity in four local government areas. They are Abua/Odual, Ahoada East, Ahoada West and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas.”

He warned against the politicisation of crime, blaming a particular political party for claiming suspected cultists who murder others as their members.

He said the administration has started the phased rehabilitation of schools in three senatorial districts, completed the Faculty of Law, paid for science consumables and restored NECO in the state.

He said his administration would continue to subsidise education, but added that the people should be prepared to pay maintenance fees to assist the state government run the educational institutions.

He said: “I did not promise free education, because I know that it does not work. I only assured that we will provide quality education for the people. There is no free education anywhere in the country. All those claiming free education are playing politics”.

The governor said the needs assessment of all the General Hospitals in the state had been completed, pointing out that phased rehabilitation of the hospitals was going on in earnest.

He said employment opportunities would be created via agriculture and industrialisation. He also said he will work towards creating jobs for physically-challenged persons who are educated.

“Employment generation will be our focus in the next one year. We shall support entrepreneurship to create more jobs for the people,” he said.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, former Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Iche Ndu, praised the governor for being transparent and accountable to the people. He said Wike has performed creditably in transforming the state.

Highpoint of the town hall meeting was the immediate employment offered to three physically-challenged persons.