100 Days: Wike Declares Projects Ready

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, used the first two days of last week to inspect ongoing projects in the state to ascertain their readiness for commissioning as part of activities to mark the first 100 days of his second term administration.
Last Monday, Governor Wike inspected the Mother and Child Hospital, Birabi Road, and the Judges Quarters. He also inspected the Rumuwoji Market, popularity known as Mile One Market, as well as the Port Harcourt Fruit Garden Market.
The State Chief Executive continued his project inspection last Tuesday as he visited the Real Madrid Football Academy and the Craft Development Centre, both in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The governor who addressed Government House Press at the end of the inspection expressed satisfaction at the  quality and speed of work at the project sites. He particularly noted that the quality of work at the Craft Development Centre shows that indigenous contractors also have the capacity to deliver in line with approved specification.
He expressed satisfactions with the operations of the Taskforce on Street Trading, saying: “ With what we have seen, it means they will do well”.
He declared that the state government would employ additional 450 youths to be involved in the operation to clean up Port Harcourt city.
Wike explained that offenders were not prosecuted so far, because his administration is a friendly one but that from this week the era of grace would be over and those caught contravening the state street trading law, will be made to face the law.
The disquiet created last week in the state by   the false allegation by  the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), that Rivers State Government demolished a mosque in the state  forced the state governor to visit site of the controversial mosque last Monday.
Wike who confirmed the allegation to be false, said,  “ It is most unfortunate that fickle-minded persons will claim that a mosque was demolished at this place, when no mosque existed”, adding that the story was concocted by mischief makers to score cheap political points.
The Brick House landlord, played host to three high profile visitors who were in Government House, Port Harcourt last week. They are; the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Ms Callamard Agnes , the British new Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms Gill Atkinson and the National Programme Coordinator, World Bank Better Education Service Delivery for All ( BESDA), Prof Gidado Tahir.
Wike who spoke last Wednesday, while granting audience to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, called for the establishment of state police in the country.
He said the present security structure makes it difficult for the federal police to respond quickly to security challenges against a state police system that would guarantee swift and a more effective approach to security challenges.
“ We believe that there should be state police for us to effectively fight crime in the country. Our system is fashioned towards the United States, which has federal, state and local police. Each of them have their responsibilities”, he said.
Wike further stated that his administration established the Neighborhood Safety Corps Agency which would have helped the security agencies with information, but that the federal government politicised it by sending the Nigerian Army to ensure that it did not come to fruition.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Ms Callamard Agnes had earlier stated that she was interested in documenting the nature and extent of killings by state and non-state actors.
“ I am interested on how the federal and state governments respond to the challenges of violence by state and non state actors “, she said.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by the World Bank Better Education Service Delivery for All ( BESDA), Thursday in Government House, Governor Wike said his administration temains committed to creating access to basic education for rural and oceanic communities.

He said his administration has embarked on reconstruction and furnishing of 253 basic schools mostly located in the rural areas, trained over 3000 teachers, approved the employment of 10,000 teachers and abolished all forms of fees in both primary and seconfary school levels among other laudable efforts.

Chris Oluoh