Rivers State Governor , Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has declared that the
state is not in contention with the Federal Government as it remains
committed to the unity, progress and indivisibility of the country.
Speaking on Monday at the Special Town Hall Meeting between the
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and Rivers State Stakeholders at the
Government House, Port Harcourt said: “it is important for us to
emphasize that the Government of Rivers State is not and cannot by any
stretch of imagination be in contention with the Federal Government.
“We stand for the unity, progress and indivisibility of this nation
and part of our mandate is to partner with the Federal Government to
move the State and by extension, the nation forward”.
The governor said: “We have severally demonstrated this commitment
from the very beginning of our administration with discernible
actions. For instance, even without prompting from the Federal
Government we mobilized some stakeholders to rehabilitate the East –
West road, from Eleme junction to Onne junction, with about three
billion naira. Today, that part of the road, which leads to the
economic heartland of the nation, including the Onne Oil and Gas Free
Zone is in good shape because of our singular efforts.
“Also, that Rivers State is least affected by the spate of attacks on
oil pipelines and other facilities by militants is not by accident but
by the deliberate and direct involvement of the State government in
ensuring that these vital national economic infrastructure are
protected and insulated from such ferocious attacks by the hoodlums.
“Furthermore, the State Government has spent and continues to spend a
lot of money to support the security agencies to fight crime and
safeguarded lives and property in the State.
“Only recently, we spent over a million dollars to procure a
sophisticated surveillance device for the use of the police and the
DSS to facilitate the tracking and arrest of kidnappers as well as
rescue of kidnap victims in the State. Regrettably, this equipment is
stuck at the port because of the refusal of the federal Government to
grant the waiver that is needed.”
Governor Wike said despite the contributions of Rivers State to the
resource base of the nation, it has been denied access to
developmental projects.
He said: “Rivers State alone accounts for not less than a third of
Nigeria’s earnings from the export of hydrocarbon resources, yet there
is little or nothing to show for the State’s contributions to the
national resource pool, which is being used on a massive scale to
develop other parts of the country.
“Thus, the lack of tangible federal projects and development attention
from the Federal Government are some of the underlying problems that
must be addressed as quickly as possible to give our people a sense of
belonging.”
The governor wondered why the Federal Government has refused to
reciprocate the kind gestures of the Rivers State Government after all
its positive investments.
He urged the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency tackle
cases of underdevelopment in the state. He urged the Federal
Government to tackle the East West road, rehabilitation of Port
Harcourt International Airport, Port Harcourt and Onne Seaports and
the completion of the Bodo-Bonny road.
He regretted the failure of the Federal Government to allow work to
commence on the construction of the 7th train of the Nigeria LNG
Project in Bonny Land.
The governor appealed to the Federal Government to give life to the
Ogoni clean up project which has remained dormant after it was
flagged off.
In his remarks, the Leader of the Elders of Rivers State, Onueze
Okocha (SAN) said: “I want to state categorically that the government
and people of Rivers State do not consider that they are at war with
the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“This does not seem to be the case and in recent times , it would
appear that the Federal Government and its ministries, departments
and agencies have tended to act, or omitted to act , as if they have
problems with Rivers State “.
In her address, Representative of Women, Ankio Briggs called on the
Buhari administration to ensure that the restore the security
details of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, otherwise Rivers women will
provide security for the governor.
Similarly, Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers,
King Dandeson Douglas Jaja called for the restoration of the security
of Governor Wike. He said failure to do would mean that the Federal
Government wants the governor to come to harm.
Oil producing communities also demanded for developmental projects
and empowerment of their people.
Responding, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo assured the people of
Rivers State that the Federal government will tackle their grievances.
