Wike Flags Off Abua/Odual Hospital Works …Says Pleasure Park’ll Be Revenue Spinner

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has declared that his administration will transform two general hospitals in Abua/Odual Local Government Area for the benefit of the people even as the Pleasure Park project will be a money-spinner for the state, when completed.

The governor noted that the General Hospital, Abua and the General Hospital, Emelego Odual will be rehabilitated and equipped to serve the people of the local government area.

The governor spoke last Saturday during the flag off of the rehabilitation of the General Hospital in Abua.

The governor said that the massive rehabilitation of the General Hospital, Abua will include developing the hospital environment to make it helpful for the treatment of persons.

He said that he was obligated to invest in the development of Abua-Odual Local Government Area because the people of the area have always supported him over the years.

“I will continue to execute projects in Abua-Odual because the people of the area have always been supportive.

“In addition to the General Hospital, Abua, I hereby direct the health commissioner to proceed with the caretaker chairman to General Hospital, Emelego Odual for the requisite assessment. Thereafter the contract will be awarded for immediate rehabilitation of that hospital.”

He explained that the general rehabilitation of hospitals across the state follows the commitment of his administration to ensure that all communities access quality healthcare.

Earlier, the state Commissioner of Health, Dr Theophilus Odagme, had said that the rehabilitation work on the hospitals will change the health indices of the local government area.

In his remarks, Caretaker Committee Chairman of Abua-Odual Local Government Area, Mr Daniel O. Daniel lauded the governor for always sitting the development projects in the areas.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has assured that the Pleasure Park under construction in Port Harcourt would be the first of its kind in Africa and would generate more funds for the state.

The State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, who stated this last Saturday in Port Harcourt when he spoke on a life Radio Programme “View Point” is said the Pleasure park will turn the state to a tourist centre.

“The Pleasure Park project is one of the tourist centres this administration has commenced, and it is second to none in Africa.

“The park will generate fund for the state because it will attract tourists. It will not be run by government so that it will not collapse. We shall have understanding with private individuals that will run the park. It will serve as part of revenue source for the state government “, he said.

The governor also disclosed that the state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with some investors with a view to boosting food production in the state.

“We are partnering with some investors. We, as government, do businessman not wish to go into direct business, because government is not a good. We intend to provide land and make the environment conducive for investors and also ensure they get Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) as a guarantee that the land will not be a problem in future”, Wike added.

He noted that the government has received many investors for cassava production in Etche while Abua Local Government Area would produce groundnuts and pineapples.

According to him, you can not see the result now because it will take time before it gets mature. Most investors have agreed, and have signed MoU and in two years, you will see the outcome.

“Agriculture is not a project that you harvest in a month, it takes time and planning. The fear of security issues is out, and investors are willing to come and invest. We are also working on how to improve on our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), because the government had assured and encouraged investors of their safety”, he said.

Wike said the state IGR has improved tremendously, explaining that as at the time the present administration came on board, it has revenue capacity of N4.5 billion, but now, the IGR has moved to N7 billion.

The governor stated that his administration will not embark on capital intensive projects it cannot complete, adding that his government will encourage partners that would help build refineries in the state.

He regretted that the issue of refinery has been on the pipeline since 1999, and said it cannot work if the government do not involve investors, saying that Rivers State cannot alone fund such project.