New Rivers: A showcase of outstanding projects

By Simeon Nwakaudu

Rivers State is Nigeria’s undisputed  headquarters  of projects.

It is the only state where the governor and top government officials are ever willing to showcase the outstanding  projects shaping the lives of the people.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, is Nigeria’s Best Performing Governor because of the quality  of  his signature  projects and his determination  to ensure that the resources of the people work for them.

Under the leadership of Governor Wike, the era of unbridled  distribution of  state resources  to powerful  individuals has been eliminated. The era of using state funds to  appease private politicians across the country to remain relevant is no longer  in vogue.

Salaries and pensions have been settled. The economy  of  the  state  has been revived and the regular  construction  of  projects in all the senatorial districts  of the state has empowered a large percentage  of  people  ready to work.

In Rivers State, the delivery  of quality projects is a case of seeing is believing. Visitors are taken to  projects sites to see things for themselves.  The showcasing of projects is not restricted to allies of the state government.

For two years, Governor Wike has been on the field working for the  people. Everyday, contractors  are funded to recreate the state.

For three days, March 22 to March 24, 2017, officials of the Federal Government under the National Economic Council Resolution Implementation Monitoring Committee  were in Rivers State  to inspect projects executed  by the Wike administration.

The South-South Team  covered the six South-South  States. They were in the state to examine the  projects being executed  by Governor Wike  since May 29, 2017.

The three days the team spent in Rivers State  took them to 48 projects spread across the three senatorial  districts  of the state.  They were received  by Governor Wike who briefed the team in his office before handing over to a team of commissioners, special advisers who took them to projects impacting  positively  on the people.

Projects  implemented  by the team on a senatorial district basis include:

RIVERS SOUTH-EAST SENATORIAL DISTRICT

1. Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road
2. Zonal Hospital, Bori, Khana LGA
3. Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori
4. Sakpenwa-Bori Road
5. General Hospital, Bodo City
6. General Hospital, Nchia – Eleme
7. Kpopie-Bodo Road

RIVERS EAST SENATORIAL DISTRICT

8. Government Secondary School, Ogu
9. Zonal Hospital, Okrika
10. Okrika Jetty
11. Ecumenical Centre
12. Federal High Court
13. Magistrate Court building
14. NBA Law Centre
15. Appeal Court Complex
16. Civic Centre
17. Borokiri Road Network
18. Ogbunabali Road Network
19. Dredging and Reclamation work at Ogbunabili/Nkpogu Location
20. Nkpogu Bridge
21. Trans-Amadi Road
22. Woji Akpajo Bridge
23. Slaughter Road
24. Pleasure Park
25. Abacha Road
26. Government Girls Secondary School, Rumuokwuta
27. Emohua General Hospital
28. Tam-David West Road
29. Rumuokoro Market and Bus Park, Port Harcourt
30. Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Rumigbo
31. Eneka Road Network
32. Igwuruta-Chokocho road
33. Igbo-Etche road
34. Chokocho-Umuechiem-Ozubu-Elele road
35. Ulakwo II-Afara-Nihi road
36. Zonal General Hospital, Okehi – Etche
37. Airport-Ipo-Omademe Road
38. Omuvu Internal Road
39. General Hospital, Isiokpo

RIVERS WEST SENATORIAL DISTRICT

40. General Hospital, Ahoada
41. Reconstruction of Edeoha-Ikata-Ochigba road, Ahoada-East LGA
42. General Hospital, Abua
43. General Hospital, Abonnema
44. General Hospital, Buguma
45. Zonal Hospital, Degema
46. General Hospital Omoku
47. Nyemoni Grammar School, Abonnema
48. Abonnema Ring Road.

At the respective  project sites,  the members of the the National Economic Council Resolution Implementation Monitoring Committee received  briefing  on the philosophy  behind the projects, the progress of work, its relevance  to the benefiting  communities  and  the  multiplier  effect of the projects to the  welfare of the people

Speaking at the Sakpenwa-Bori Road that connects Eleme, Tai, Gokana and Khana  to Port Harcourt and Akwa Ibom States, Rivers State Commissioner of Works, Mr Bathuel Harrison noted that  the dualisation of the road was initiated by Governor Wike  to boost the economy of the Ogoni speaking local government areas of the state, neglected by the immediate past APC administration in the state.

Also at the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road, the Works Commissioner , Mr Bathuel Harrison stated that the road will  create access to two major riverine local government areas, with several communities benefiting.

The Rivers State Education Commissioner, Prof Kaniye Ebeku explained  the  rationale behind the reintroduction of boarding  schools by the Wike administration when he briefed the team at the Government Girls Secondary School, Rumuokwuta  in Obio/Akpor  Local Government Area and Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori.

Professor  Ebeku stated that the more than 20 of such schools have been  earmarked  for total rehabilitation  across the three senatorial districts, while work has started on six of such schools.

The restoration of the Health Sector is one of the highpoints of the second year of the Wike administration.  Seventeen  General and Zonal Hospitals  are undergoing comprehensive rehabilitation across the three senatorial districts  of  the state.

Permanent Secretary, Rivers State  Ministry of Health,  Caroline Wali explained  that  the rehabilitation which will be followed by the re-equipping of the hospitals will create access to quality healthcare  for the people of  the state.

The team from the National Economic Council Resolution Implementation Monitoring Committee were also inspected ongoing  work at the State Ecumenical Centre, the  Port Harcourt Pleasure Park, the Federal High Court Complex being funded by the Rivers State Government, the Court of Appeal  being reconstructed .

Special Adviser on Special Projects to the Rivers State Governor, Mr Dum Wite stated that the  Pleasure Park will  re-energise tge tourism sector of the state and also generate internally generate internal revenue.

Team Leader  of the National Economic Council Resolution Implementation Monitoring Committee, Alhaji Abdullateef Shittu expressed satisfaction at the quality of projects delivery  across  the state.

He commended the governor  for the spread of his projects and the number of  projects executed, pointing out that all senatorial  districts  have been reached  by the administration.

For Rivers people, the approval  rating  of Governor Wike continues  to  climb because  he prefers to satisfy  the greatest number through projects, rather  than  satisfy a few persons  through political patronage.

This dedication  to the greatest  number  has led to  few politicians  and  their associates  grumbling.  But the  governor maintains that the people come first. In 2016, the state budget was 60 percent capital expenditure  and 40 percent recurrent  expenditure.  He raised the bar in 2017. The state budget  has 70 capital  expenditure  and 30 percent recurrent  expenditure.

According  to Governor Wike, a project like Obiri-Ikwerre Road would  benefit all Rivers people and visitors to the state, irrespective  of  the  political  affiliations of those  who  ply the road. However, if the same amount is shared out in terms of political  patronage, only a few privileged  persons will benefit.

Majority  of Rivers people  have  benefited from the strategic  projects and programmes  of Governor Wike in the last 22 months. The state is marching forward and achieving  the goal of  a  New Rivers State