Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Engr Emeka Woke (right) addressing sports journalists in Port Harcourt when the state government donated a bus to them. Photo: Chris Monyanaga

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has listed education, employment, agriculture, infrastructure and workers’ welfare as the major areas of focus by his administration, disclosing that in the next few weeks, rehabilitation of selected government secondary schools, will begin.
Speaking at “The People’s Forum”, an interactive platform where he enumerated his achievements and programmes so far in the past 100 days to the people of the state on Saturday at Dr Obi Wali Conference Centre in Port Harcourt, Wike said he needs the people’s support to achieve more in office.
He expressed hope that he will consolidate on his administration achievements, and continue in driving development in the state despite the on-going petition at the election tribunal challenging his mandate.
The governor observed that in the past 100 days, his administration has been able to restore public confidence in governance and government.
He noted that before the inception of his administration, the state was sliding into lawlessness, economic hardship and anxiety but that, “today, normalcy has returned to the judiciary and the courts are working. We have restored the dignity of traditional rulers,” as he listed strides made in paying arrears of workers’ salaries, pensioners’ allowances, health workers and opening of the state House of Assembly for legislative business, among others.
Wike revealed that so far, 49 road projects have been launched with about 30 out of the 52 streets earmarked for rehabilitation completed, maintaining that the N30billion loan has been fully utilized.
He stressed that the state never got any bail out from the Federal Government, as the government, despite the economic crunch, has resolved to transform the state economically.
With the economy transformed, Wike underscored the importance of security in the creation of employment to the teeming youth, arguing that investors can only come to invest in a peaceful atmosphere.
“We are not where we should be but we have improved security than what it used to be,” he emphasized.
To further beef-up security, he stated that the state government has concluded documentation and delivery of two surveillance helicopters purchased by the immediate past administration billed to arrive in the next two weeks.
On roads, Wike announced plans to expand the Ahoada Road, commence work on Etche-Igwuruta Road, the Trans-Kalabari Road, and support the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in completing the Okrika-Port Harcourt Road.
Explaining how he plans to tackle unemployment, the governor stated that commercial agriculture will be used in creating jobs, adding that, “We should de-emphasize on white collar jobs…We must go back to skills and vocational education.”
He assured of tackling the challenge of potable water in rural areas, stating that already, the blueprint of water provision in Abonnema, Gokana and Khana are almost concluded.
Earlier, Chairman of the occasion and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Barinua Wifa, had described the forum as the platform for participatory governance.
Wifa remarked that any government that excludes the citizenry, is bound to fail, hence he advised the administration to continue the interface so as to ensure good governance and support.
In his speech, Secretary to the State Government, Kenneth Kobani said the Wike administration has displayed novelty by spreading development in all parts of the state in the past 100 days.
Kobani maintained that the forum will open new vista and cement relationship between the government and the people, adding that, “no man or woman knows it all, everyone has something to contribute”.