From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, has declared that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has executed more projects in the last two years than the All Progressives Congress (APC) -led Federal Government.
Addressing newsmen after accompanying governor Wike on an extensive projects inspection yesterday, Senator Akpabio said Wike’s excellent performance stemmed from his love for Rivers people.
“Governor Wike has done more work and projects in the last two years than the Federal Government. That is my considered opinion. Performance is not necessarily an issue of the availability of resources. If your state gets N5 billion, do projects of that amount. If you get N1 billion, do projects commensurate with that figure. For governor Wike, he has judiciously applied the scarce resources available to the state to develop needed infrastructure.
“The resources available to Rivers state is nothing compared to that of the federal government. Rivers state Government gets far less than a quarter than one percent of what accrues to the federal government, but, we can see the tremendous quality of transformation taking place in the state.
“It is not so much money that makes performance. It is love for your people. When you are elected, if you love your people, you will perform; no matter the little money that you have.
“What I am seeing here, in Rivers state, is not like a recession economy because the governor loves his people. Let me use this opportunity to congratulate workers at the various sites because they are acquiring a lot of skills working at the sites.
“The kind of projects governor Wike is doing in Rivers will attract the world to the state. Today, there is a song, that ‘the handwork of Wike is beautiful.”’
Senator Akpabio advised governor Wike “not to be distracted by political detractors who engage in political blackmail.” He said no matter the attempt to distract him, governor Wike should continue his transformation of the state.
He said: “I want to urge all governors who have the opportunity to lead their states to visit Rivers state.
“I want to say this with pride that governor Wike is working. We pray God to continue to bless, protect and keep him to work for the state. Governor Wike loves his people, he loves Rivers and that is why he is doing this. It is not everyone that will transform Rivers in such a short time. Under two years, the results are everywhere. The roads we think that will not be done, have been done. When it comes to the time of election and the people risk their lives for Wike. People will say may be he sponsored thugs or used money. It is governor Wike’s work that will determine the electoral future.”
He commended Governor Wike for restoring the pride of the State as the capital of the Niger Delta.
Governor Wike during the inspection tour, explained the importance of the State Ecumenical Centre, the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park and Landscaping Architecture at Airforce overheard bridge, Port Harcourt.
Wike said that his administration would continue to sustain the execution of projects across the state, despite the economic recession.