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Insecurity: We Must Re-Jig Security Architecture -Wike …Flags Off Bolo Internal Roads Construction …Says He Won’t Go To Abuja To Beg For 2nd Term
Worried by the unprecedented insecurity and unwarranted attacks on unarmed communities by herdsmen, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has called for the immediate re-jigging of the nation’s security architecture.
Also, the management of Businessday Newspaper has announced the nomination of Wike as “Businessday Governor of the Year 2017”.
Speaking when he received the management of Businessday Newspaper at the Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, Wike said that the current approach to national security was no longer functional.
He said: “This time, criminality is targeted at some communities. Every time when they kill over a hundred innocent Nigerians, the security agencies claim that three persons have been arrested.
“After the deaths, they announced that Special Forces have been deployed to invaded communities. Will the Special Forces revive the slain persons?
“We must talk of re-jigging the security architecture. The present setting is not yielding results. We must introduce persons with new ideas and new thinking to check the ugly trend of insecurity”.
He regretted that most of his colleagues (governors) are not interested in working for the people as they are more concerned with battling for second term.
According him, some governors rather than stand for the people in terms of the growing insecurity, prefer to hobnob with the President, begging for second term support.
On the Businessday Newspaper Governor of the Year Award, the governor said that it would spur him to greater service.
While dedicating the award to the people of Rivers State, Wike noted that the success of his administration was a function of the support of the people.
Earlier, Publisher of Businessday Newspaper, Mr Frank Aigbogun said that Wike emerged Governor of the Year because of his outstanding developmental strides.
He said that the organisation researched into key performance indicators and reached the verifiable resolution that Wike deserves the honour.
Aigbogun said the award ceremony would hold in Abuja July 19, 2018.
He said that Businessday Newspaper would collaborate with the Rivers State Government to hold an investment summit to drive economic growth.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has flagged off the construction of Bolo internal roads in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area.
Performing the flag off, yesterday, Wike said that the construction of Bolo internal roads would improve the living condition of the people.
He said: “I am here to flag off the Bolo internal roads to make life more meaningful for Bolo people.”
The governor said that funds have been set aside for the project, pointing out that the contract was awarded to local contractors as a form of empowerment.
“If you don’t do the work, you will face consequences. I believe that the contractors will execute the contract”, he said.
The governor charged leaders to invest in the development of their respective states, instead relying on Abuja to manipulate the electoral process for them.
He noted that he would remain in Rivers State to discharge his responsibilities to the people because he was exercising their mandate.
The Special Adviser to the Rivers State Governor on Special Projects, Alabo George Kerley said the roads would be made of reinforced concrete because of the nature of the terrain of the area.
Speaking on behalf of the political class of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, Senator George Sekibo assured the Rivers State governor of their commitment to work for his re-election.
Chairman of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, Navy Capt Erasmus Victor (rtd) said that the commencement of the construction of Bolo internal roads was a worthy gift to the people of the area.
“The Ogu/Bolo people will remain eternally grateful to the Rivers State governor for this project. The projects of Governor Wike are visible across the state and we are happy that we are beneficiaries of his projects delivery”, he said.
The Ogu/Bolo council of chiefs presented traditional gifts to Wike, while guests were entertained to traditional dances.
Also, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, says he would never go to Abuja to beg anybody to endorse him to go for second term in office.
The governor stated this yesterday at a flag off ceremony of internal roads in Bolo, Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Wike expressed disappointment that some sitting governors no longer stay in their states but stay in Abuja to beg and lobby for second term in office.
He said the power to actualise second term in office was in the hands of God, stressing that he would remain in the state to do the job for which he was elected by the people.
The governor said that the problem we have in the country is that the people do not hold those elected into positions accountable to their promises.
“The only way you can hold them responsible when they come back you ask them, the former promise you made you did not do it”, the Governor said.
Wike maintained that nobody can intimidate or blackmail him to go to Abuja to beg so as to achieve a second term.
The governor said, “So, many governors now don’t stay in their states. They go to Abuja.
Wike told the people of Bolo that the fag off ceremony was in fulfilment of the promise he made to them.
“We have come to fulfill our promise here to flag off the internal roads so that life can be better for the people”.
He said the people of Bolo deserve more projects because they fulfilled the promise they made to him and have strongly supported his administration.
Reacting to a request by the people of the area to extend the length of the road, the governor immediately directed the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special projects, George-Kelly Alaso to go black and include the extension and bring the new specification to his table for consideration.
He charged the contractor handling the project to ensure that standard job was delivered.
Wike commended the political leaders in the area for working in unity and stressed the need for people of the area to support the contractor so that the project would be delivered as early as targeted.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Projects, George- Kelly Alaso said the project was a 4.9-kilometer road with 5-kilometer drainage, adding that it would be completed in five months.
Speaking on behalf of the political class, the political leader of the area, Senator George Sekibo, commenced Wike for the great works he has done in the state and particularly for Ogu/Bolo people.
The senator said, “We appreciate your efforts in the state, you have done extremely well. As Wakrike people, we came to Government House and gave you a promise and on that promise we still stand”.
The Chief Whip of Rivers State House of Assembly, who represents the area, Hon Evans Bipi, commended the governor for the project, and said the project would enhance socio-economic development of the area.
Bipi reassured the governor of the sustained support of the people to his administration, adding that 100 per cent vote of the people would be delivered to the governor in 2019 should he accept to run for a second term in office.
Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) of his administration’s commitment to supporting and strengthening the scheme in the State.
Fubara gave the assurance last Friday at the NYSC permanent orientation camp, Nonwa-Gbam, Tai Local Government Area in the State, during the swearing-in ceremony of 2026 Batch B Stream II orientation course.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Bureau, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Promise Oguzie, the governor said the State Government would remain intentional in providing the necessary support to improve the NYSC scheme and enhance the experiences of corps members deployed to the state.
He charged the corps members to be role models and quality nation-builders in their service to the good people of Rivers State in particular, and Nigeria at large.
“I charge you to be exemplary, dedicated and committed in all you do. Take full advantage of all the camp programmes and activities to enrich yourselves”, he said.
In his welcome address, the State Coordinator of NYSC in Rivers State, Mr. Moses Oleghe, urged corps members to see their deployment to Rivers State as a “veritable opportunity to make meaningful contribution to the growth of the State in particular and Nigeria at large.”
He further charged them to serve with all sense of “integrity, discipline, and the fear of God, especially when they will be engaged as INEC ad-hoc staff that will conduct the 2027 general elections.”
A total of 3,584 corps members composed of 1,421 males and 2,163 females were sworn in by the Chief Judge of Rivers State, who was represented by Justice Godspower Aguma.
Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, says Nigeria needs God-fearing leaders for the nation to move in the right direction and make meaningful progress.
The Governor stated this yesterday when he received in audience, the World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler; his wife, Andriene Marques Kohler; daughter Mariana Marques Kohler and a retinue of ministers of the church at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Fubara who hailed the Seventh Day Adventist Church for its contributions to education and the grooming of future leaders in Nigeria, expressed delight that the Church had over the years, been investing in education at various levels and currently runs two universities in the country.
He commended the church for not only using its institutions to spread the gospel of Christianity but to groom future leaders for the country.
According to him, religion should not be just about defending one’s faith, but also making meaningful impact on the lives of the people.
He said that by floating these educational institutions, the church has demonstrated capacity to support Nigeria in the task of producing not only educated people but a breed of God-fearing leaders.
“Our country is where it is today because we lack the fear of God. If you have the fear of God, there should be a limit to what you can do because you understand the supremacy of God. But when God is not in your equation, you’ll go beyond the line and that is what has brought us to where we are today.
“So, I feel very happy that you are contributing to the development of our future leaders in this country. We need the right people being in the right place; prepared properly with good minds; that is what we need, not just in Nigeria but round the whole world.,” he said.
Governor Fubara further observed that the absence of God-fearing people in high places to take the right decisions that could impact positively on the society, has also given rise to other problems such as social inequality, poverty, corruption and criminality. According to him, Nigeria needs a system where the average parent could afford quality education for their children and a guarantee that upon graduation, the average child will have the capacity to compete favourably with anybody, anywhere in the world.
“If we have a situation where the little money that you’re being paid as wage can also afford you quality healthcare and after working at least for 15-20 years, you have a roof over your head, tell me why you should be involved in any kind of crime? At that point, you’ll feel secured and this attitude of insecurity about the future that leads to all the social vices we have today won’t be there,” he said.
Governor Fubara expressed appreciation to the delegation for the visit and for their prayers for Rivers State, assuring them of his continued support for their programmes in the state.
Leader of the delegation and World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler said he was in Nigeria for a special conference of the church during which thousands of the church’s ministers will be undergoing an empowerment programme to further equip them for the task of herding their flocks and serving the society.
He expressed gratitude to the Governor for the warm reception accorded his entourage, saying the memory of the visit will linger in his mind for a lifetime.
Kohler disclosed that the Church has over twenty -four million (24,000,000) members and more than 182,000 places of worship, spread across 212 countries of the world.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has approved the 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) submitted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
This reaffirms the lawmakers’ commitment to enacting laws and taking legislative actions geared towards the overall development of the State.
The Assembly gave the approval during its Second Legislative Sitting of the Fourth Session held last Friday.
Speaking on the MTEF document during plenary, the House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, noted that by the provision of Section 10(1)(b) of the Rivers State Fiscal Responsibility Law No. 8 of 2010, the MTEF ought to have been laid before the House in September 2025.
Amaewhule explained that traditionally, the document is expected to be presented four months before the commencement of the next financial year and immediately after the expiration of every three-year fiscal cycle.
He, however, stated that in the interest of the State and its people, the House considered it necessary to deliberate on the document, describing it as a precursor to the 2026 Budget Estimates.
The Speaker expressed concern that the year had already progressed significantly before the presentation of the framework.
During deliberations on the document, members examined the assumptions and projections contained in the MTEF and observed that strict adherence to the outlined fiscal parameters would ultimately serve the interest of Rivers people.
The lawmakers maintained that effective implementation of the framework would promote prudent financial management and enhance developmental planning across the State.
Following the debate and positive consideration by members, the Speaker put the question to the House and members voted overwhelmingly in support of the approval of the MTEF.
Meanwhile, during the same sitting last Friday, the House also received a petition from the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Dr. Gift Worlu.
The petition was presented by the member representing Obio/Akpor Constituency II, Hon. Emilia Amadi.
According to the petition, concerns were raised over an imminent security breach, threats to lives, destruction of property and alleged forceful takeover of property by some lawless persons within parts of the Local Government Area.
Presenting the petition before the House, Hon. Amadi appealed to the lawmakers to revisit the matter and take necessary steps aimed at safeguarding lives and property in the affected communities.
The House is expected to further deliberate on the petition and consider measures to address the concerns raised in order to sustain peace and security in the area.
King Onunwor