The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said that in the last three years his administration has delivered an open, transparent and accountable government which has transformed the trajectory of governance from the failures of the past.
Governor Wike said that his administration is delivering on her campaign promises and improving the living standards of Rivers people through quality projects and programmes.
Addressing Rivers Stakeholders in Port Harcourt on Tuesday during the public presentation of his administration’s scorecard as part of his third year anniversary, Governor Wike said that his administration has judiciously applied scarce resources for the benefit of Rivers people.
He said through the achievements of his administration, the state has been lifted from the valleys of despair to the heights of hope.
He said: ” It is clear that in the last three years our State has progressed at a rate it has never been. There is no doubt that the foundation that we need to accelerate our development, create jobs and advance our prosperity has firmly been laid.
“We give profound thanks to God for these achievements, but we also owe everything to you who are truly driving the change process with your unqualified support, encouragement and prayers.”
The governor said that improvements in different sectors have changed the fortune of the state and securely placed it on the pedestal of sustained growth.
He said: “Before we assumed office we made a lot of promises as the bases for seeking your mandate. We have also invested time, efforts and resources to fulfil these promises.
“Lest we forget, we all know the state of our State, especially the very poor state of our economy before we took over the mantle of leadership. However, despite the challenges, we remained undaunted, focused and determined to make the difference we had promised.”
Governor Wike noted that his investments in road infrastructure has yielded positive results and improved the economy of the state through programmed connectivity.
He said: “As at today, we have delivered tremendously on all the components of the SRDP. For instance, in the last three years, we have consistently invested about 70 percent of capital expenditure on the provision of road infrastructure.
“This has resulted in Clearing most of the State roads of potholes under our “Operation Zero pothole” programme; Completed 23 out of the 26 strategic road projects we inherited from the previous administration; Completed 72 out of the 83 new strategic road projects we initiated, while the remainders are at various stages of completion; Built over 10 bridges to within and outside the State capital, connecting towns and communities;
” Renewed and improved the roads in several urban neighbourhoods in the State capital and revived the social and economic life of residents of these areas”.
He said in the last three years, advancing education in the State is another promise that the administration has kept with budgetary allocation increased from 5 percent in 2014 to over 10 percent in 2018.
In the justice sector, Governor Wike noted that his administration opened the courts, defended the judiciary and developed Rivers State into a regional judicial hub.
He said: “As a matter of fact, we did not promise to intervene in federal courts in the State, but we have built and furnished the most modern courthouses in the country for the Port Harcourt Divisions of the Federal High Court and the National Industrial Court.
“We have also reconstructed and modernized the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal complex. We also built an ultra-modern secretariat for the Port Harcourt branch of the Nigerian Bar Association.”
The governor stated that his administration has transformed the health sector through the reconstruction of 13 General Hospitals, completion of four abandoned zonal hospitals and the construction of Mother and Child Hospital in Port Harcourt.
He added that the administration is successfully upgrading Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital into a teaching hospital for the Rivers State University, while equipment worth $8million dollars have been procured for the hospital.
The governor said that the administration has directly touched the lives of the people through empowerment programmes for traders, young entrepreneurs, women and civil servants.
He said the state’s investments in security has led to a more secure state where businesses thrive and people live in peace.
He said: “State is more stable, secure, peaceful and growing in strength despite the efforts by our detractors to deliberately sabotage our security architect and otherwise portray the State as insecure for purely political ends”.
Governor Wike urged Rivers people to stand in defence of the state ahead of the general elections in view of the plot by INEC and Police to manipulate the electoral process.
He said: “We derive our inspiration from God and faith in the future greatness of our State remains unshaken. We must, therefore, be prepared to defend our inalienable right to freely and fairly elect our leaders as freedom is never ever given. It is always taken and defended through perpetual vigilance.
“While I appeal to us to uphold the peace and remain united, we cannot afford to return to power those who are desperate to capture the State by all means and plunder our resources with strangers”.
In his remarks, Chairman of the occasion and Former Rivers State Governor, Dr Peter Odili endorsed Governor Wike for a second term on the strength of his performance.
He thanked God for giving Rivers State a governor like Governor Wike who has transformed the state within a short period.
The Former Rivers State Governor also thanked the Rivers State Governor for justifying the mandate extended to him by the electorate.
He said: “All men and women of Rivers State are proud of Governor Wike. He is a prudent manager of resources. We urge him to continue to defend Rivers State. Rivers State will stand by you. Don’t be shy to fight for the unity of this country “.
Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Mr Kenneth Kobani said Governor Wike has led the state by example, hence the laudable achievements.
Highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of the third-year progress report of Governor Nyesom Wike’s administration.
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