The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has inaugurated the state Task Force for the Recovery of Government Properties, with a charge to members of the task force to work diligently for the state.
Inaugurating the committee in Government House, Port Harcourt, last Monday, Wike said several permanent secretaries and top civil servants have retired from service, but were still illegally occupying government quarters.
Wike noted that several attempts to ensure that they vacate government quarters, so that serving officers can reside in such houses have met with resistance from the retired senior civil servants.
“You are by this inauguration required to recover all government properties illegally occupied by some persons.
“There are many civil servants who have retired from service, but are still occupying government buildings several years after retirement. This has made it difficult for those in service to have official quarters allocated to them”, he said.
The governor told members of the task force that they would face challenges while carrying out their responsibilities, and advised them to be firm.
He assured that the Rivers State Government would provide the required security and logistical support for them to carry out their functions.
Wike said that some top civil servants have gone as far as taking illegal measures to own government properties, noting that in some blocks of flats, some have gone to illegally acquire Certificates of Occupancy (CoOs).
“If you are a civil servant, you already know when you are to retire. Therefore, you have to plan for retirement.
“It is regrettable that some civil servants even fail to maintain government buildings where they reside. Do this assignment diligently. Except there is a clear court order, recover government buildings that have been illegally occupied”, he directed members of the task force.
The governor also charged the task force to locate government lands that have been illegally occupied and recover same.
Responding, Chairman of the Task Force for the Recovery of Government Properties, Barrister Rufus Godwins appreciated the governor for the confidence reposed in the members to carry out the important responsibility.
Godwins, who is also the Head of Service, assured the Rivers State governor that the task force would locate, identify and recover all government properties illegally occupied.
He said where the task force meets resistance; it would recommend prosecution of the affected persons to the office of the Attorney General of Rivers State.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has explained that the ongoing urban renewal of Port Harcourt City and adjoining towns of the state capital was aimed at returning the city to its Garden City status.
Speaking after inspecting ongoing projects, last Monday, Wike said that his administration was committed to reconstructing key roads in the state capital to ease traffic congestion and boost the economy.
He said because his administration was committed to constructing roads that would last, adding that 70 per cent of the urban renewal scheme would be handled by a Nigerian-based international construction company.
“We are working hard to return Port Harcourt City to its Garden City status. That is why we have embarked on massive urban renewal across the state capital.
“Seventy per cent of the roads under construction will be handled by international construction company, Julius Berger. We are committed to delivering roads that will last for the people of the state”, he said.
On one of the roads under construction near the Polo Club, Port Harcourt, Wike said that he would invite the management of Polo Club to work towards removing the shanties that deface the area.
He said if the management of Polo Club fails to act, the state government would be compelled to take tough action.
“We cannot allow the kind of shanties that I am seeing here. I have sent for the President of Port Harcourt Polo Club to come and give them notice to quit”, he said.
The governor said that the Judges’ Quarters have already been completed, while contractors were concluding work on the external services, especially the drainage system.
He said that the Mother and Child Hospital would be completed by the end of the year, and commended the quality of work done by the contractors.
Wike was accompanied on the project inspection by the Rivers State Chairman of PDP, Bro Felix Obuah and Senator Olaka Nwogu.