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Wike Sets Record, Commissions 30 Roads In Two Days …‘We’re Delivering On Our Promise’ …Says Ogoni Clean-Up, Political Tool Of APC
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike made history during the week as he commissioned 30 internal roads in two loal governement areas.
This is in continuation of the unprecedented roll out of projects across the state. Rivers State Government yesterday commissioned 10 Omoku Internal Roads in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) .
The Rivers State Government also rolled out Okposi Road, outside Omoku which measures 3kilometers, while the Omoku Internal Roads measure 10.6 kilometres .
The Rivers State Government, last Wednesday, rolled out 19 internal roads constructed by the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike in Elele-Alimini Town, Emohua Local Government Area.
The Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose jointly commissioned the 19 roads constructed by the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike for the revival of the economy of the area.
Speaking during the commissioning event, Wike said that the roads were constructed in line with his campaign promise to the people of Elele-Alimini.
He said that the remaining two kilometres of roads in the town would be constructed by his administration.
Wike said: “I thank the people of Elele-Alimini for their total support for my administration. When a community identifies with projects, it is easy to execute projects for them.
“As a result of the peace and unity in the area, we are going to give you a traditional stool as requested by the Elele-Alimini council of chiefs”.
The governor urged the people to protect their permanent voters’ cards, so that they could vote credible leaders.
“With these projects, we are telling the world that we are prepared for governance. We didn’t come up with excuses. We are a government that fulfills promises”, he said.
He charged the people of Emohua Local Government Area not to allow themselves to be deceived by the fake promises of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Commissioning the roads, Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose lauded Wike for his commitment to the development of the state.
He said that the roads commissioned would help in growing the economy of the area, and urged the people of Rivers State to remain supportive of the PDP as APC has failed woefully.
The Ekiti State governor berated the APC-led Federal Government for deploying huge funds to rig the Ekiti State Governorship Election, adding that irrespective of the deployment of funds, the APC would lose the election.
He added that Nigerians would sack President Muhammadu Buhari next year because of his failure in governance.
The state Works Commissioner, Hon Dumnamene Dekor said the 19 roads completed by the Wike administration in the area were of immense economic value to the people of Elele-Alimini.
Thousands of Emohua people trooped out to sing the praises of Wike at the commissioning event.
Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio commissioned the Omoku Internal Roads in a ceremony witnessed by hundreds of stakeholders, traditional rulers, market women and youth groups.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony yesterday, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike said that the immediate past failed Amaechi administration awarded the contracts in 2009, but refused to fund them.
He said upon assumption of office, his administration mobilised the same contractor to site and funded all the 11 Roads to completion.
He said: “We don’t play politics with projects. Once the projects are vital to the development of an area, we execute them for the benefit of the people “.
He noted that projects execution in Omoku was made possible by the peaceful environment restored by his administration in the area.
“I promised the people of ONELGA that I will do everything possible to ensure that peace returns to the area. Today, banks are functional in the town and the economy has been revived”, he said.
He informed that the administration will complete and commission the Omoku-Egbema Road being dualised for the people. The governor added that the Omoku Zonal Hospital is progressing satisfactorily .
On the issue of employment, Governor Wike said that his administration is negotiating with Agip and Total to resolve the challenge. He stated members of the OSPAC Security outfit will co-opted into the State Neighbourhood Safety Corps.
Commissioning the eleven road projects, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio said that Governor Wike continues to execute meaningful projects because of his love for Rivers people.
He said as a result of the outstanding developmental strides of Governor Wike, Rivers people will overwhelmingly vote him in 2019.
He said: “Nobody changes a winning team. Therefore, Governor Wike will enjoy the constitutional second term. This government believes in transforming the landscape of Rivers State .
“I am very proud of Governor Wike and his team. Federal Government must hear that the projects of the Rivers State Governor have helped to protect the nation’s economy. Governor Wike is sustaining the economy of Nigeria through projects that have enhanced peace in the oil bearing communities “.
While warning the youths against criminality, he urged them to protect their votes for Governor Wike during the 2019 General Election.
Rivers State Works Commissioner, Rt Hon Dum Dekor said that the Omoku-Egbema (23. 4kilometres) Road, Omoku-Aligwe-Kreiyami-Obobura Road (17km) and Akubuka-Okposi Road (14.7kilometres) are under construction in ONELGA.
Caretaker Committee Chairman of ONELGA, Mr Olisa Osi lauded the Rivers State Governor for several meaningful projects that have improved the living condition of the people.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has declared that his administration, over the last three years, has delivered an open, transparent and accountable government which has transformed the trajectory of governance from the failures of the past to one that cares and works for the people.
Wike said that his administration was delivering on her campaign promises and improving the living standards of Rivers people through quality projects and programmes.
Addressing Rivers stakeholders in Port Harcourt, last Tuesday, during the public presentation of the administration’s scorecard as part of his third-year anniversary, Wike said that his administration has judiciously applied scarce resources for the benefit of Rivers people.
He said through the achievements of his administration, the state has been lifted from the valleys of despair to the heights of hope.
Wike said: “It is clear that in the last three years our state has progressed at a rate it has never been. There is no doubt that the foundation that we need to accelerate our development, create jobs and advance our prosperity has firmly been laid.
“We give profound thanks to God for these achievements, but we also owe everything to you who are truly driving the change process with your unqualified support, encouragement and prayers.”
The governor said that improvements in different sectors have changed the fortune of the state and securely placed it on the pedestal of sustained growth.
He said: “Before we assumed office we made a lot of promises as the bases for seeking your mandate. We have also invested time, efforts and resources to fulfill these promises.
“Lest we forget, we all know the state of our state, especially the very poor state of our economy before we took over the mantle of leadership. However, despite the challenges, we remained undaunted, focused and determined to make the difference we had promised.”
Wike noted that his investments in road infrastructure has yielded positive results and improved the economy of the state through programmed connectivity.
He said: “As at today, we have delivered tremendously on all the components of the SRDP. For instance, in the last three years, we have consistently invested about 70 per cent of capital expenditure on the provision of road infrastructure.
“This has resulted in: Clearing most of the state roads of pot-holes under our “Operation Zero Pot-hole” programme; completed 23 out of the 26 strategic road projects we inherited from the previous administration; completed 72 out of the 83 new strategic road projects we initiated, while the remainders are at various stages of completion; built over 10 bridges to within and outside the state capital, connecting towns and communities.
We have “Renewed and improved the roads in several urban neighbourhoods in the state capital and revived the social and economic life of residents of these areas”, Wike said.
He said in the last three years, advancing education in the state was another promise that the administration has kept with budgetary allocation increased from five per cent in 2014 to over 10 per cent in 2018.
In the justice sector, Wike noted that his administration opened the courts, defended the judiciary and developed Rivers State into a regional judicial hub.
He said: “As a matter of fact, we did not promise to intervene in federal courts in the state, but we have built and furnished the most modern court houses in the country for the Port Harcourt Divisions of the Federal High Court and the National Industrial Court.
“We have also reconstructed and modernized the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal complex. We also built an ultra-modern secretariat for the Port Harcourt branch of the Nigerian Bar Association,” Wike added.
The governor stated that his administration has transformed the health sector through the reconstruction of 13 general hospitals, completion of four abandoned zonal hospitals and the construction of Mother and Child Hospital in Port Harcourt.
He added that the administration was successfully upgrading the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH) into a teaching hospital for the Rivers State University, while equipment worth $8million have been procured for the hospital.
The governor said that the administration has directly touched the lives of the people through empowerment programmes for traders, young entrepreneurs, women and civil servants.
Similarly, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has stated that Ogoni clean-up has become a political tool of the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government, rather than a strategic environmental project to improve the lives of the people.
Speaking during a special appearance on Silverbird Television programme, News Hub, Wike said that Ogoni clean-up was only mentioned whenever election approaches.
The governor said: “The issue of Ogoni clean-up comes up during every election. It is a political strategy to curry political favour.
“If they are serious, they should use funds from the Excess Crude Account (ECA), the way they have done for insurgency. The environmental crisis in Ogoniland is a major challenge”.
He criticised the recent bill sent to the National Assembly by the APC-led Federal Government, noting that it would further divide the country and enslave the people.
Wike noted that such a bill was not necessary at this time when the country was suffering from challenges centred on sectional governance.
The governor said that in Rivers State, people would always vote for the PDP because he has developed quality projects and programmes for them.
“In all local government areas, we have projects that have touched the lives of the people. Therefore, our projects will campaign for us.
“On the other hand, the APC Federal Government has no projects in Rivers State. There is nothing on ground for them to sell themselves to the people.
“Good governance endears you to the people. We have provided basic amenities, and the people are happy with us. I am not an Abuja governor. I am a governor of the people. I stay with my people, and I know what my people want”, the governor said.
Wike said that the over 300 major projects executed by his administration have created thousands of jobs for the people.
He noted that there was a digital revolution taking place in the state with the revival of the Information and Communication Technology Centre where thousands of youth would be empowered through training and digital skills.
Wike explained that credible local government elections would be conducted in the state by June 16, 2018.
Ahead of the local government elections, he said that Rivers State PDP has made it a matter of policy to empower women with leadership positions as all 23 vice chairmanship candidates were women.
On the soot challenge, Wike noted that Rivers State Government would continue to take relevant steps to end the menace.
On the forthcoming presidential polls, Wike said that he was yet to decide on who to support, stressing that once he makes up his mind, it won’t be a secret.
He explained that he was involved in pragmatic governance which abhors white elephant projects, adding that all projects started in his first term would be completed before he starts a second term.
Wike added that the state government was developing a sage.
President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.
The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.
The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.
“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.
Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.
Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”
Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”
He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.
“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.
According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”
He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.
The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.
However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.
At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.
They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.
After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.
By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.
In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.
“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.
“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.
He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.
“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”
The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.
Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.
However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.
Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.
A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.
It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.
The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.
“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
But lawmakers rejected the request.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.
“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.
“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.
The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”
Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.
The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.
Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.
The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) said over 17 million Nigerians travelled out between 2023 and 2024.
This is as the association announced that it would be organising a maiden edition of Eastern Travel Market 2025 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital from 27th to 30th August, 2025.
Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone, Hope Ehiogie, disclosed this during a news briefing in Port Harcourt.
Ehiogie explained that the event aims to bring together over 1,000 travel professionals to discuss the future of the industry in the nation and give visibility to airlines, hospitality firms, hospitals and institutions in the South-South and South-East, tagged Eastern Zone.
He stated that the 17 million number marks a significant increase in overseas travel and tours.
According to him, “Nigerian travel industry has seen significant growth, with 17 million people traveling out of the country in 2023”.
Ehiogie further said the potential of tourism and travel would bring in over $12 million into the nation’s economy by 2026, saying it would be a major spike in the sector, as 2024 recorded about $4 million.
“The potential of tourism and travel is that it can generate about $12 million for the nation’s economy by 2026. Last year it was $4 million.
“In the area of travels, over 17 million Nigerians traveled out of the country two years ago for different purposes. This included, health, religious purposes, visit, education and others,” Ehiogie said.
While highlighting the potential of Nigeria’s tourism, he said the hospitality industry in Nigeria has come of age, saying it is now second to none.
The Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone further said, “We are not creating an enabling environment for business to thrive. We need to support the industry and provide the necessary infrastructure for growth.”
He said the country has a lot of tourism potential, especially as the government is now showing interest in and supporting the sector.
Ehiogie emphasized that NANTA has been working to support the industry with initiatives such as training schools and platforms for airlines and hotels to sell their products.
He added, “We now have about four to five training schools in the region, and within two years, the first set of students will graduate. We are helping airlines sell tickets and hotels sell their rooms.”
Also speaking, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NANTA, Stephen Isokariari of Dial Travels, called for more support from the industry.
Isokariari stated, “We need to work together to grow the industry and contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
“With the right support and infrastructure, the Nigerian travel industry has the potential to make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy.”