Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has accused detractors of making desperate attempts to sabotage his administration and frustrate the delivery of good governance and quality services to the state.
He made this allegation while addressing the Standing Committee and members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
Fubara claimed that detractors tried to scuttle the recent Rivers Economic and Investment Summit by clandestinely discouraging invited speakers and guests from participating, according to The Nation.
He also mentioned efforts to frustrate the revival of the Port Harcourt International Automobile Spare Parts Trading and Commercial Centre and the construction of 20,000 housing units in the Greater Port Harcourt City Development area.
The Governor emphasized that despite these challenges, his administration remains focused and has recorded significant successes within its first year in office.
He highlighted his priorities, including sustainable human capital development, critical infrastructure, and bridging the healthcare and education gaps in the state.
Fubara clarified that his administration will not complete the monorail project initiated by the previous government unless a private sector investor commits resources to the project under a well-defined public-private partnership arrangement.
The Governor’s allegations suggest a political rift and attempts to undermine his administration’s efforts to develop the state.
The situation highlights the challenges faced by governments in Nigeria and the need for stakeholders to work together for the greater good.
He said: “Rivers People First” mantra of his administration, saying that he expend Rivers money to deliver quality services and good governance to Rivers people, and not one individual or group of few desperate politicians angling to satisfy their selfish desires and ambitions.
“We are a government legitimately and constitutionally constituted in the State. It is our duty to carry out the function and act of governance properly. But somehow, we have some issues which I won’t want to dwell on.
“Like I said, we have to move on, and moving on is where we are today. By the special grace of God, we have recorded successes. We might not have gotten it the way it would have been, if everything was fine. It takes a government that is courageous to do what we have done,” given our circumstances.
He noted that at the inception of his administration a year ago, strategies were put in place to boost the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State, adding that good money was saved which is being committed to landmark projects that are now ongoing in the State.
The governor explained that his administration decided to execute key signature projects that had been avoided by previous administrations because their impact would add significant value to the lives of the people and spike the revenue profile of the State to enable it bounce back as a buoyant economic hub and compete favourably with Lagos, including deepening its potential in the blue economy.
He listed such ‘trunk A’ projects as the expansive 50:51km Port Harcourt Ring Road project, traversing six local government areas of Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, Etche, Elele, and Okrika, with a river crossing, six flyovers, over 12 roundabouts and interchanges; the 12km original Trans-Kalabari Road, connecting Port Harcourt City to the three Kalabari local governments of Asari-Toru, Akuku-Toru, and Degema, with many bridges; as well as the 33.5km Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road, with many bridges also.
The Governor added that over 34 projects inherited from the immediate past administration had been completed, while others were being expedited for completion, adding that his administration would turn around infrastructure in the healthcare and education sectors in the next six months.
He lamented the dearth of primary and secondary healthcare facilities as well as decent education development infrastructure across the local governments, and assured that in no distant time, his government would transform both sectors for the good of the people of the State in line with its policy thrust of the People First.
