Rivers State
Governor, Nyesom Wike has flagged off
the reconstruction of the Airport-Ipo-Omademe-Ozuoha road to the
agricultural heartland of Ikwerre Local
Government Area.
The governor,
also yesterday, flagged off the rehabilitation of General Hospital, Isiokpo
aimed at providing quality healthcare services to the people of the area.
“Those who
produce what we eat in the cities must be given a sense of belonging. That is
why we are here today to commence the construction of this all important roads.
“We are here
to wipe away the tears of the people. In the next five months, I will be back
to commission the road. Government must be relevant to the populace,” he said.
In another
development Governor Wike has said issues of development must always receive
priority attention despite political differences.
This was even
as the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige described
Governor Wike as an action governor who should lead the way in the
implementation of the Employment Compensation Act being implemented by the
Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
Speaking at
the Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday when Ngige visited him, Governor
Wike said placing development above partisanship would enhance the partnership
between the federal and state governments to transform the country.
He lauded the
minister for standing out in his leadership style, by setting aside politics to
liaise with the Rivers State Government on the development of a credible
insurance scheme for workers in the state.
He said the
government will study and buy into the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund
programme under the Employment Compensation Act .
Earlier, Ngige
described political parties as vehicles to specific destinations where leaders
are empowered to enthrone development.
According to
him, political parties should not affect the delivery of developmental
projects. He said just as President Muhammadu Buhari is the father of the nation,
so is Governor Wike of Rivers State irrespective of political affiliation.
Meanwhile,
barely two weeks to the conduct of the rerun elections in Rivers State, a
candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Olaka Nwogu, has
dismissed claims that an informal arrangement has been reached with the All
Progressives Congress (APC) to cede one seat.
Speaking with
Daily Sun, Senator Nwogu, who was sacked last December by the Court of Appeal,
said APC has reached out to his party, the PDP to cede one of the senatorial
seats to them, but added that the proposal was rejected.
“I am sure
that it is one of the lies the APC is putting out there. Actually, APC is
begging for one seat in the Senate just to save face. They have shown all
manner deliberations. The people must vote and express their choice. There is
nothing like that. The PDP is not involved in any such arrangements.
“APC should
work hard and sell themselves to the people. The people have chosen me and
there is nothing they can do. PDP has no deal with APC.”
He also kicked
against claims that Senator Magnus Abe was already in the lead in the results
declared so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Nwogu
maintained that the results declared so far do not reflect what transpired on
ground.
“INEC came to
Rivers State and declared results five months after the same elections
suspended. The results were cooked and we have challenged them in court. The
results are fictitious. Is this a country? How banana have we become?
“APC has lost
the elections conducted so far. They are only trying to impose false results on
us. We are not animals in this country. We will defend and fight for our
rights.
“If we conduct
a free and fair election and we will obliterate APC in the state. They are
jittery and want to use APC members as ad hoc staff during the rerun elections.
With what is left, we will win. We are not worried. All we are asking for is a
level playing field,’’ he said.
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