Wike Charges Taskforce Against Petrol Scarcity …Unveils Private Hospitals Empowerment Scheme

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has charged the state Petroleum Task Force with the task of ensuring that petroleum products are available to the citizenry at the official price and at times.
Addressing members of  the Rivers State Petroleum Task Force under the chairmanship  of Mr Kenneth Opusingi at  Government House, Port Harcourt at the weekend, Wike urged the committee to liaise with key players in the petroleum sector to ensure the state gets regular supply of products.
Wike observed that the committee was an important agency to the state and government, and therefore, urged members not to turn themselves into levy collection agents with the aim of harassing fuel service stations.
Rather, he charged them to work together as a team and avoid any action that will bring the government to disrepute, adding: “your activities should not attract public outcry.”
The governor said, “this committee must ensure that the state does not experience fuel scarcity.  This means that you open functional partnership with NUPENG, Petroleum Tankers Drivers, IPMAN and other stakeholders.
“With the right partnership, we shall always have our fair share of petroleum products to avoid fuel scarcity”.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Petroleum Task Force, Mr Kenneth Opusingi, assured the governor that the task force will not let his administration down.

Meanwhile, Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has kick-started the process of assisting  private hospitals to provide enhanced quality healthcare to the people of the state by inaugurating the Rivers State Private Hospitals Intervention Scheme.
Wike said at the inauguration ceremony in Government House, Port Harcourt, that the first phase of the scheme will have 25 private hospitals as beneficiaries.
He said during the first phase, private hospitals which are owned by non-indigenes, should be included on the list.
The committee should, without bias, identify those who will benefit from the first phase of the scheme, he added.
He said: “This loan should be used to buy necessary equipment for the improvement of healthcare across the state. I want to reiterate that this is not for the purchase of drugs.”
The governor charged the committee to embark on physical inspection of benefiting private hospitals to ascertain that they require the intervention.
He said: “Because of the technical nature of the committee’s responsibility, all the members are renowned medical practitioners.”
The governor said that the committee will report directly to him because of the seriousness and urgency of their job.
Responding on behalf of the committee members, Chairman of the committee, Prof Blessing Didia, assured the governor that his committee will deliver in line with its terms of reference.
The committee has two weeks to submit its report.