Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Barrister George Ariolu, has expressed delight with Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for his unmatched programme and policies that has transformed the local government.
Ariolu described Wike as a man with so much love for his people and mankind.
The Obio/Akpor Council chairman disclosed this in a welcome address to the Rivers State governor and his entourage at the official flag-off of Ikwerre Road, Rumuokwuta and Rumuola junction flyover.
He said while other governors are gathering bounties to sum up their tenures, Wike was still in the business of commissioning completed projects and flagging off new ones, classifying the governor as a rare Nigerian politician.
Speaking further, he explained that Obio/Akpor has the ace, number and figure to determine the next governor of Rivers State.
According to him, Wike remains a Garrison commander and field marshal of grassroots mobilisation in the state.
He assured the governor that as political foot soldiers, members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the local government were intact and waiting for his instructions ahead of 2023 polls.
Ariolu said that his administration would continue to garner support for the leadership of Rivers State Government under the supervision of Governor Nyesom Wike.
He explained that the transformation agenda of the governor has totally urbanised the local government and entire Rivers State, saying that Wike was the only captain capable of piloting the political ship of Rivers State.
He emphaised the enormous social-economic importance of the twelfth flyover to the state and nation at large, stressing that the flyover will ease the movementof people and vehicles from Rivers State to other South-South, South-West states and entire Nigeria.
According to him, the construction of the flyover will reduce traffic grid experienced along the area and curtail the number of man-hour to do business in the city.
He pointed that Wike through his infrastructural development is building the economic base of the state, noting that Rivers State is the economic hub of the entire South-South region.
In an interview with newsmen, Ariolu described the twelfth flyover as timely.
He hinted that it would ease means of doing business in the area.
In his speech, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, warned that anyone, irrespective of political party or affiliation, caught trying to promote insecurity in Rivers State would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
The governor who gave the warning at Location Junction, cautioned owners of event centres and hotels against allowing their venues to be used to plan or execute actions that cause insecurity.
He said the government spent a lot of resources and effort to make Rivers State secure and peaceful, and he wouldn’t allow anyone to disrupt the state’s peace.
He urged people of the area to bear with the government during the project period as development of this nature is bound to come with some inconvenience.
Wike appealed to residents to be patient and trust in his administration to continue to better lives through its programmes and policies.
The governor further charged the contractors, Julius Berger to ensure that the project is delivered in record time, noting that excuses will not be accommodated from them.
Wike, who appreciated Julius Berger for the completion of seven flyovers, assured those whose properties were affected in the area that they will get their due compensation, adding that the state government has completed every process relating to the compensation of affected residents.
Performing the flag-off, former Minister of Information, Prof Jerry Gana, who flagged off the project, described Wike as a man who stands by his word.
He said Rivers State was enjoying peace as against what is happening in Abuja and other states.
He further stated that the illustration of Wike and Rivers State proves that with good and focused leadership, insecurity can be overcome in the country, pointing that Wike is a leader of truth, equity and fairness.
According to him, “This project when completed will add to the beauty and efficiency of the city. It will certainly help in the accessibility of the various roads in the state”.
Speaking further, he added that Wike has shown clearly that good governance can be achieved through leadership, stressing how he has demonstrated the power of good leadership by delivering worthy projects to the people of Rivers State.
Providing the project description, the Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dakorinama George-Kelly said the twelveth flyover is 927.5meters long, 80meters shorter than the eleventh flyover, he added that the flyover which will consist of two lanes will have a 17.6 meter width, one meter width median and one meter walkway.
The flyover he said, will change the socio-economic dynamix of the people living around the area and travel time will be reduced.
He added that the construction of the flyover will enhance ease of doing business in the area and it will add more beauty and colour to the state.
For his part, representative of Julius Berger PLC, Tobias Meletschus thanked Wike for the trust and confidence reposed on the contractor to handle such huge project for the state government.
The flag off of the Ikwerre Road, Rumuokwuta and Rumuola flyover bridge was done by former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke…on the invitation of Governor Nyesom Wike.