Rivers’ Monthly IGR Hits N9bn

Despite the campaign of calumny and propaganda by the opposition, the Rivers State Government says its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has risen from N4.6bn in 2015 to N9billion.
The state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike stated this last Wednesday after inspecting ongoing work at the Pleasure Park, Bonny/Bille/Nembe Jetty and the Ecumenical Centre projects in Port Harcourt.
Stressing  that his administration is running a prudent government aimed at reducing waste and corrupt practices in public expenditure, Wike recalled a situation where contracts awarded by the previous administration were overbloated.
He said that the model secondary schools awarded by the erstwhile government at the cost of N4billion is being executed at N1.2billion.
‘We are doing the same project today at Ogu and Rumuokwuta Girls at N1.2billion”, Wike stated, while insisting that the present administration is bent in doing things differently from what obtained before.
He remarked that ‘ whatever that is of interest to the people, that is what matters to me . Not whether one or two individuals like what I do”.
For him, quality job delivery is key since  that will reduce waste and save the state government expenses in the future. ‘Today they may be very expensive but in the long run they are not expensive’, Wike stressed
Wike said the need for quality service delivery is why the state government has decided to engage the services of competent contractors saying ‘ for Julius Berger to do a job for you that means you are sure that the project will last up to 10 years or above. That is why we insist that whatever we are going to do, our people deserve the best.
On why the IGR was improving despite the meager federal allocation, the governor explained that there was a divine hand in the present dispensation to make thing better for Rivers people.
He submitted, “as at the time we came, our Internal Generated Revenue was N4.2billion and they claim investors were leaving, but our revenue has now climbed to N9billion. This shows something is going on somewhere, a hand you cannot see. God is really in charge and has given us the opportunity despite the intimidation”.
The governor therefore assured that his administration is poised to serve the people and give them the best