On Monday, the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, performed the Port Harcourt Ring Road flag-off ceremony estimated to cost the State government about N195 billion.
This is as the former governor boasted that the current Governor, Siminialayi Fubara, would outclass his contemporary governors in delivering landmark projects under the current leadership dispensation in Nigeria.
Wike made the boast in Port Harcourt at the occasion of the groundbreaking for the 50.1km Ring Road to be constructed by the Fubara administration.
The dual carriage road project to be executed by Julius Berger spans six Local Government Areas with six flyovers and one river crossing bridge and is billed to be completed within 36 months.
It is expected to connect several rural communities, expand the landscape and unify the people of the State.
Wike said, “In 2007, 2008, one man was governor at a time in a month we got N100Billion. I was Chief of Staff. We put N100 billion in First Bank that we were going to do this road. Up till today, there is no Ring Road.
“But today, a man one month in office has awarded a project of N195Bn and has paid N150Bn. I challenge any state, any governor today that will say he has the chest, the capacity to engage a reputable company like JB to award N195Bn single contract and pay N150Bn. Nigerians will be shocked when he (Fubara) will show you 100 days.”
Wike lambasted the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), on its failures to construct the road saying, “This project is supposed to have been done by the NDDC, but what we have is a Niger Delta cash cow, not a development commission.
“Assuming NDDC has delivered this kind of project in every state, then you would have wondered what the Niger Delta would have become.”
Speaking at the occasion, Governor Fubara solicited the cooperation of communities to be affected by the project assuring payment of adequate compensation to deserving persons on the project’s right of way,.
“We did not just sign a contract, but we are paying for it, and we are here to commence the job.
“It is not just about linking communities. It is about the man (Wike) who discovered the vision of the New Rivers, the vision to bring Rivers people together”, the governor stated.