Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (middle), his deputy, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo(right) and former Minister of Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri (left) at the flag off of 17 internal roads in Rumuigbo, Obio-Akpor LGA on Thursday.

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that his administration will remain focused on governance despite the ongoing intensified political campaigns.

Governor Wike gave the assurance at the flag-off of civil works on seventeen internal roads within the Rumuigbo community in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, performed by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, former Minister of Agriculture on Thursday.

The governor remarked that his social contract with the Rivers people who gave him their mandate demanded that he remained committed to serving 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 of May 2023.

“We believe that party is a vehicle that conveys you to where you want to go. Having conveyed 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 the campaign. We are not going to be distracted by the 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 the Rumuigbo community has never benefitted from his administratiGovernorrnor 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 the record 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 road projects plus the one he was flagging off.

These and many other projects, Senator Lokpobiri noted are what have 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 described 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, have drains on both sides of the same size of 600 millimetres by 600 millimetres cross-sectionally with 150-millimetre wall thickness and 150-millimetre base concrete.

Dr Alabo said the project has been scheduled for completion within six months and the contractor has been mobilized about four weeks ago.