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We’ll Vote Against Those Who Say Rivers Don’t Matter -Wike
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has declared that anybody who despises the political capability of the state will be meted with the same treatment.
Wike made the declaration at the inauguration of the Orochiri-Worukwo (Waterlines Junction) Flyover, which was performed by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in Port Harcourt, last Monday.
The Rivers State governor explained that the dynamics of contemporary politics haves made it unpopular to just give votes away without the assurance of derivable benefit for the people.
“If you say Rivers State does not matter, Rivers State will tell you that you don’t also matter at the appropriate time. If you don’t like us, we will not like you. If you like us, we will like you.
“Nobody will use our votes for nothing. Our votes will matter, and Rivers State must benefit from anybody that we are going to support.
“Politics now is no longer just vote for somebody; it is about what you will do for the people of Rivers State.
“No amount of blackmail in the media can distract us from delivering our campaign promises to Rivers people, I am more concerned about the happiness of our people,” the governor said.
Wike pointed to how difficult it would be for any conspirators to upset the voting pattern of Rivers State and support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The governor reiterated that those who looted the treasury of the state would not be supported to become governor of Rivers State.
“My guest from Lagos State let nobody tell you story that anybody will come here to win as governor of Rivers State. It will not happen.
“Those who looted the treasury of the state will not come here to be governor of Rivers State, and I have challenged them.
“I am fully in charge. I am not that kind of governor people will go to Abuja and hold meetings against. I am fully in charge here.”
Wike also berated Mr. Yemi Adebowale over his ThisDay publication in which he peddled misinformation in his ‘RingTrue’ column article titled, “Wike, a Governor Possessed By Spirit of Flyovers.”
The governor noted the obvious unhappy mind set of the writer for his dislike for development and hatred for Rivers people who were happy with the ongoing development strides of his administration.
“First of all, let me state, if there is one state that pays salary regularly, it is Rivers State. Let me also state, every month, we pay pensioners. Let me also state, since we have been paying gratuity, have you been hearing anybody talking on radio?”
Wike also challenged those who were envious of his development strides to rather show what capacity they have by executing projects, and invite renowned persons to inaugurate them.
He explained that the Lagos State governor was not the first time person of other political parties invited to inaugurate projects in Rivers State.
He pointed to the overall benefits such invitations have on governance, saying that it served as peer review for them.
Speaking, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who inaugurated the Orochiri-Worokwu (Waterlines Junction) Flyover, commended Wike for his strong commitment to the delivery of physical infrastructure in Rivers State.
“I would like to specially commend my brother, Governor Wike, for his strong commitment to the delivery of physical infrastructure in Rivers State, a commitment that has been recognised by all and sundry, and which has earned him the appellation of ‘Mr. Projects’ within and outside Rivers State.
“You can hate a man or may not like his face but you cannot dispute the good works he has done, Governor Wike you are a talk-and-do governor,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said though himself and Wike belong to different political persuasions, the invitation extended to him sends a very strong message that politicians and political leaders can come together across political and ideological divides, for the good of the people.
“There is also a strong message being made today about expanding our capacity to play politics without bitterness. This symbolic gesture by my friend and brother is one that should become standard practice across Nigeria.
“There is also a lot that we can learn from one another, and experience that we can translate from one part of the country to the other.”
Sanwo-Olu further added: “Ultimately, we are all in governance to touch the lives of the people for good; to deliver to them the dividends of democracy. There is no doubt that Governor Wike has spent his last seven years focused on this, just as we have similarly been doing in Lagos.”
He added that Rivers and Lagos share a lot of similarities; he suggested that the two states should synergize to provide a solid leadership in the league of states in Nigeria.
“Rivers State and Lagos State share a lot in common; we are both economic hubs of our respective regions. We are both densely populated with rapid growing population mostly from our respective neighbouring states. Huge urbanisation and increased pressure on our physical infrastructure. We both enjoy fairly extensive coastline of water.
“People are drawn to Lagos and Rivers as places where economic opportunities abound; where dreams are fulfilled; where you can achieve your greatest aspirations in life”, Sanwo-Olu said.
Providing the description of the project, the Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dr Dakorinama George-Kelly said the project has been completed on schedule with specified quality.
“The project has an overall length of 840meters and overall cross sectional width of 17.6meters, 7.3meters on each lane. It has one meter walkway on both sides, and two meter of media. We have a total of asphaltic pavement area of 29,000 square meters.
“This flyover bridge brings to amend traffic congestion along the Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway because right from the Boro Park Flyover down to Eastern By-pass, there will be no traffic congestion. So, there will be ease of doing business around Port Harcourt, and Rivers people will benefit from it.”
In his speech, Regional Manager of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Juergen Fischer, noted that history had been made with the opening for public use of the 7th Flyover awarded to them for construction.
He thanked Wike for the trust reposed in Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to handle such huge projects for the state government.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.