Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has said that his administration is committed to making sure that every local government area in the state gets development projects.
Wike gave the assurance at the inauguration of the 10.3km long Sime-Nonwa-Kira road in Tai Local Government Area, which was performed by the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, on Monday.
Wike said, few months ago, when he flagged off the road, people thought it would be abandoned, but today, it has been completed and was being commissioned.
According to the governor, all projects awarded by his administration would be completed before the end of his tenure, and no one project would be abandoned.
“Some people say we have been commissioning projects in Port Harcourt and ObioAkpor Local Government Areas. That, there are no projects in other local governments.
“This is Tai and it is in Ogoni land and we have projects here that we are commissioning now.
“When we flagged off this road, so many were thinking that it will be one of the abandoned projects. I have said, no contract awarded by our administration will be abandoned. All projects must be completed before we leave office.”
The governor berated a former Commissioner for Community and Chieftaincy Affairs for allegedly peddling falsehood that there were no Rivers State development projects in Ogoni land.
Wike said such people who took kola meant for traditional rulers could not see and speak the truth but waste energy defending what they could not defend.
“One of the former Commissioner who took traditional rulers’ kola incidentally, he is from this Local Government Area, he was telling people that there is no single project in the whole of Ogoni land.
“But he is from this Local Government, you can see how people can tell lies simply because we did not bring him back (as Commissioner). But we don’t want our kola to miss again. Those who cannot keep kola or give to those who own the kola, we cannot bring them back.
“Look at this project; 10.3km, and look at the communities. How will anybody say that we have never done anything for the people of Tai. How would anybody say we have no presence in Ogoni land?
“This road was handled by a local contractor, Lubrik Construction Company Ltd , it’s Rivers’ company. I don’t play with road construction because I don’t want any road that will not last. This road, as you’ve seen it will last.”
Inaugurating the road, Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, applauded Governor Wike for delivering the road project that connects several communities to ease movement of rural dwellers.
Mohammed noted that he felt proud to be a Nigerian anytime he saw how Governor Wike in spite of imposing challenges, had continued to deliver democratic dividends to Rivers people.
“When I see the quality of this road and the community where it is sited; in Ogoni land, traversing all these communities and the kind of good sermon given by the local government chairman, and even the Commissioner for Works, I felt elated that I am a Nigerian.
“This is so because here is a Nigerian, a governor who has been able to deepen leadership, bringing people of capacity on board; even using a local contractor to bring local content. This is the kind of Nigeria we need tomorrow – People who can lead and bring people on board with quality and capacity.”
The Bauchi State governor particularly described Governor Wike as the face of leadership among other governors and within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, because “he inspires all of them.”
