A stakeholder in the building industry, Pedro Opuene has commended the Governor Wike-led administration in Rivers State for giving a face lift to government-owned buildings which were abandoned by successive administrations in the state.
In an interview with The Tide, last Saturday, Opuene noted that the initiative “is note-worthy, particularly at this time when so many government buildings across the nation are rotting away.”
He pointed out that despite the housing deficit in Nigeria, buildings are allowed to fall to decay and rot.
According to him, “in spite of the outcry in the nation that there is a huge housing gap in the country. There are hundreds of government buildings standing in ruins and decay across the country, which would have fetched huge revenue to the government.”
Opuene who is also an Estate Surveyor and Valuer, stressed that these buildings are capable of bringing huge revenue earnings if they are renovated and converted to commercial use, adding that it was a waste of tax payers’ money allowing them to rot.
He thus commended the State Governor, Nyesom Wike, “for taking the bull by the horn, to come up with the initiative to transform the Waterlines, which now houses such offices as the Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board, The Produce House, Moscow Road and the former Public Complaints Commission building, Aba Road.
“That the revenue generated from these buildings would help boost the States internally generated revenue and urged to continue the good work,” he said.

Tonye Nria Dappa