We Want To Compete With Lagos – Fubara

Rivers State Governor, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, has said that the aim of his administration is to make Rivers State compete with Lagos as the economic hub of Nigeria in terms of infrastructure and the blue economy.
The governor stated this when he played host to a delegation of Nigerian Guild of Editors in Port Harcourt. He said his administration has started working hard to build the needed infrastructure and expand revenue nets to boost economy of the state.
He listed the 50:51km Port Harcourt Ring Road project, traversing six local government areas; the 12km Trans-Kalabari Road, connecting Port Harcourt to the three Kalabari local government areas and the 33.5km Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road as ambitious projects that will boost the infrastructure of the state.
The governor said the government has already paid N147 billion of the N195 billion project cost to the contractors of the Port Harcourt Ring Road project. He also noted that the Trans-Kalabari Road project, would cost N225.1billionWhile the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road project would cost N80.8billion. He said while the Port Harcourt Ring Road, was being funded from a loan, the Trans-Kalabari Road, Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road, and the Okania-Ogbogoro Road (costing over N6billion), were being funded with savings accruing from IGR and federation accounts allocations.
He said over 34 projects inherited from the immediate past administration had been completed.
He however said his government would not revive the monorail project initiated by the government of Rotimi Amaechi over 10 years ago, except it can find a private sector investor to partner with us to complete the project.
Nevertheless, he said that he would like to be remembered not only with bridges and flyovers, but also with sustainable manpower development and investment in education and healthcare.
The NGE delegation was led by the NGE President, Eze Anaba. Other members of the delegation were heads of stations, editors, heads and managers of news of other media outfits located in the Rivers State capital, as well as leaders of the state council of Nigeria Union of Journalists and Correspondents Chapel of NUJ, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and Rivers State Independent Publishers’ Association (RIVPA).
The Governor lamented that detractors were desperately attempting to frustrate and embarrass the government’s efforts to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
Fubara listed attempts to scuttle the process of governance in the state to include the clandestine calls to some key speakers and prominent personalities invited to participate at the just-concluded Rivers Economic and Investment Summit not to associate with his administration, or participate in the programme.
He also cited efforts to frustrate the completion of the Port Harcourt International Automobile Spare Parts Trading and Commercial Centre at Iriebe, where he said the previous contractors that abandoned the project have sued the state to derail the project.
He added that investors in the 20,000 housing units project in Mgbodo-Aluu axis of the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Area were facing litigations from land grabbers sponsored by opposition elements despite the fact that the lands had been acquired by the state government.
Governor Fubara however said that despite the sabotage efforts and political crisis his administration has remained focused and has consciously recorded significant successes within its one year in office.
He said the “Rivers People First” mantra of his administration meant he would deliver quality services and good governance to Rivers people, and not to one individual or group of selfish politicians.
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.
The Deputy President of the NGE, Husseina Bangshika, who spoke on behalf of the NGE delegation, commended Governor Fubara for anchoring his administration on the path of peace, infrastructure and human capacity development.
The NGE deputy president urged the governor to despite the political crisis remain focused, and continue to pursue the path of peace, reconciliation and sustainable development of the state.