During his first term, 2015 to 2019, award winning Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, put up a splendid performance that earned him the trust and respect of Rivers people. It was for this reason that Rivers people stood their ground despite the invading prowess of the AAC/APC/ARMY/FSARS Alliance.
On 3rd April, 2019 when INEC concluded the collation of results and declared Nyesom Ezenwo Wike winner of the Rivers State Governorship election, the Governor made a commitment to the people of the state to serve them diligently. He acknowledged the sacrifices of the Rivers people in the process of his re-emergence as Governor.
On that day, he said: ”I want to thank the people of Rivers State for showing the kind of love we have never seen before. I thank them for showing the kind of support we have never seen before.
“Those who died not because they were criminals, but because they wanted to defend their votes. We dedicate this victory to God those who were killed .
“They protected our votes and they defended us. We pray God to grant their families the strength to bear the losses. We shall continue to support the families .We will not disappoint the PDP. We will not disappoint Rivers people. We shall continue to serve. “
Truly, Governor Wike has continued to serve Rivers people in the actual sense of the word. All sectors of the economy have been positively impacted upon for the good of Rivers people.
OPERATION STING FOR RIVERS SECURITY
One of the key areas where Governor Wike has excelled is the promotion of security of lives and property. Though the state is yet to reach the desired point, marked improvement has been experienced in all the 23 local government areas.
This is a fallout of the launch of Operation Sting. This is a security architecture designed by the Wike Administration during his second term.
Governor Wike said Operation Sting will be fully funded by the Rivers State Government with the aim of tackling criminal elements and reducing crime and criminality in all parts of the state.
He said: “OPERATION STING” is therefore, our own specialized and dedicated security initiative anchored on an integrated and complementary approach, fully funded by the Rivers State Government to effectively tackle both the sources and drivers of insecurity in their diverse criminal manifestations and operations and nib them in the buds or rout and root them out of existence.
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“Under Operation Sting, we have taken concrete steps to strengthen the logistics and operational capability of the civil and armed security forces”.
PROFOUND MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE STANDARD OF LIVING OF RIVERS PEOPLE
Governor Wike has taken very profound measures to improve the standard of living of Rivers people.
In the course of his second term, Governor Wike abolished the payments of user-fees for persons living with HIV/AIDS who want to access treatment at state-owned health facilities.
Governor Wike said that the State Government will take over the payment of the user-fees to encourage more Rivers people to seek treatment for HIV/AIDS.
To ensure access to education for the less-privileged, Governor Wike abolished all forms of fees and levies in public primary, junior and senior secondary schools in Rivers State.
This was a major second term action. He has since released funds for the running of the schools for the 2019/2020 academic session.
The funds released would be used by the schools for registers, chalks, dusters, markers, notebooks, pens and other consumables.
Governor Wike approved that the State Government will henceforth bankroll the form fees for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for all indigenes and non-indigenes in the state.
This approval has been implemented for the 2020 UTME to be conducted by JAMB.
APPROVAL FOR UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDIES AT THE RSUTH
During the closing days of his first term, Governor Wike ensured that the relevant facilities were on ground for the successful take-off of the College of Medical Sciences and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.
Since commencing his second term, Governor Wike has created the right environment for the accreditation of the College of Medical Sciences at the Rivers State University.
The National Universities Commission in recognition of the facilities and personnel on ground, approved that the institution run full-time undergraduate programmes from the 2019/2020 academic session in Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) and Nursing Science (BNsc).
RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENT, RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL
In November 2019, Governor Wike commissioned the New Radiology Department of the State University Teaching Hospital, upgraded and re-equipped by his administration.
Commissioning the new health facility, th governor reiterated his commitment to quality health care for the people of Rivers State.
Governor Wike described the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and the College of Medicine as his initiative, saying that he will continue to invest in their rapid development.
“We will do everything possible to promote quality health care for our people. We need good health care for people to carry out their daily activities.
“We have good doctors, but there are no good equipment. What we are doing is to provide the right equipment”, he said.
EXCELLENT FIRST 100 DAYS
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, took the entire country by storm during the first 100 days of his second term.
For three weeks, Governor Wike rolled out very significant projects that touched the lives of Rivers people. Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, who commissioned the Rumuwoji Market confessed that he has seen why people insist that Governor Wike is Mr Projects.
The projects rolled out during the first 100 days of the governor’s second term include:
.Bonny Street, Adaka , Boro/Elliot Henry Streets
• Government Secondary School, Ubima
(Formerly Community Secondary School, Ubima)
•Seabed Model School , Port Harcourt
•Port Harcourt Pleasure Park Cinema
•Dualised – Birabi Street
•Justice Iche Ndu (formerly Rumukwurusi -Elelenwo – Akpajo Road )
•Government Craft Development Centre, Port Harcourt
•Civil Servants’ Quarters
•Rivers State NLC Secretariat
•Ogbum-Nu-Abali Fruit Garden Market
•Rivers State University, Students Union Secretariat
•Rumuwoji Market
•Real Madrid Academy.
KEY PROJECTS SET FOR COMMISSIONING
MOTHER AND CHILD HOSPITAL, PORT HARCOURT
This is a legacy project that will soon be commissioned by the Rivers State Government.
It was to be a joint project with the NDDC, but the commission reneged and Governor Wike had to drive the execution of the project alone.
The contractors are putting finishing touches to the modification works at the facility. Similarly, the equipment contractor is installing the equipment procured by the Wike Administration for the specialist hospital.
This is a mega hospital, the very first in the Niger Delta that will improve access to tertiary health care for women and children.
JUDGES QUARTERS
This is a legendary project initiated by Governor Wike to promote the independence of the Judiciary. It is also aimed at ensuring that the welfare of judges is taken care of during and after their service.
The Judges Quarters has been completed. It has been furnished, and it will soon be commissioned for use.
RECONSTRUCTION OF OVER 100 BASIC EDUCATION AND SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS
This is a statewide intervention programme continued from the first term. During his first term, Governor Wike reconstructed and equipped over 250 schools through the Universal Basic Education Commission counterpart fund scheme and through the state’s direct funding.
Once again, the Rivers State Governor is using the two funding models to address issues relating to educational facilities in all the 23 local government areas of the state.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE REBISI, RUMUOGBA AND OKORO-NU-ODO FLYOVER BRIDGES
The three flyover bridges already under construction in Port Harcourt are meant to improve traffic flow in the Rivers State capital.
These projects form the most ambitious developmental intervention by any governor. The construction of the three flyover bridges is progressing simultaneously.
The icing on the cake is that Governor Wike has already paid 70 per cent of the contract sum. The contractor, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, is expected to deliver the bridges by February 2021.
The length of the flyover bridges include: Rumuogba (formerly Artillery 1 and 2) : 517.5 metres, Okoro-Nu-Odo 360 metres and Rebisi (formerly Garrison 360 metres)
MASSIVE URBAN RENEWAL PROGRAMME
Port Harcourt and its environs have become a huge construction site. The Rivers State Government under the leadership of Governor Wike is remodelling different parts of the state capital.
Other key projects like the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo-Nkoro Unity Road, Zonal Hospitals, Sakpenwa-Bori Road, upgrade of different iconic secondary schools are progressing in different parts of the State.
BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD
Governor Wike is yet to conclude the first year of his second term and the results are everywhere. The future is bright for the state. The Governor has emphasized at every point that he will never be party to the second term failures of state governors.
His administration will be a departure from the discouraging norm. Every step of the way will be decorated with pro-people projects and programmes to improve the lives of Rivers people.
Simeon Nwakaudu is a personal assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media
