Rivers state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has disclosed that his administration inherited 34 uncompleted projects, valued at over N225.279bn across 13 local government areas of the state.
The governor further said that under his administration awarded nine new road projects, valued at N534.332bn.
He described the ongoing political crisis in the state as a vicious war against his administration but said the worst was over.
The governor said his administration had successfully defended the rights and privileges to govern the state and advanced its progress in liberty and freedom without compromise.
Fubara spoke while presenting an Account of Stewardship and Scorecard to mark the first anniversary of his administration at Dr. Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
The governor said: “We started this journey with a bang. We were focused. We were determined to make the change we promised with a sense of urgency.
“But then, somehow, we suddenly found ourselves in the cesspit of crisis barely three months into our tenure. It was not just an ordinary political crisis. It was a vicious existential crisis.
“But thank goodness, the worst is over. We have successfully defended our rights and opportunity to govern our State and advance its progress in freedom, and we will continue to prevail.”
Fubara said many things had changed in the political landscape, noting that he remained committed to his covenant to put Rivers State first, defend her interest, and ensure that the people got the dividends of democracy and good governance.
He said: “For us, any government worth its name must be accountable, responsive, and responsible for the security and well-being of the people.
The governor said he was proud to report that, despite the unprecedented challenges, his first one year in office had witnessed significant achievements visible to everybody.
Fubara particularly said that he inherited a state, whose economy was on a declining trajectory despite its growth potential, but within one year of his administration, the negative narrative had changed for the better.
The governor said he set up an Internally Generated Revenue (IGR)/Investment Advisory Committee that he chaired to coordinate activities in the sector leading to increased inflow of economic investments to the state.
He said: “We also needed to attract investments into the State and increase our internally generated revenue base as too much reliance on federal allocations was a challenge to the realisation of our development goals.
“We, therefore, set up an IGR/Investment Advisory Committee, which is helping us to navigate our course for increased economic investments and internally generated revenue to accelerate economic growth, create jobs and advance the welfare and well-being of our people.
“Our liberalised business-friendly economic policies and programmes are boosting confidence and attracting local and international investors and investments into the State, judging by the expression of interest offers we receive every month.
“We have kept our taxes low, frozen the imposing of taxes on small businesses across the State, and increased the ease of doing business in the State by eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks. No request for the signing of a certificate of occupancy remains in my office beyond two days, except if I am otherwise engaged beyond two days or out of town.
“One year down the line, and we believe we are succeeding. Our internally generated revenue witnessed an astronomical increase from N12 billion to between N17 billion in off-peak periods and N28 billion during the peak months.
“We have established an N4 billion matching fund with the Bank of Industry (BOI) to support existing and new micro, small, and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs) to grow their businesses to drive economic growth and create jobs and wealth for citizens. Over 3,000 citizens and residents have applied to access this loan to fund their businesses at a single-digit interest rate, and a repayment period of up to five years.”
The governor expressed his belief in using infrastructure as key to sustainable development, saying he did not abandon the 34 uncompleted projects that he inherited, valued at over N225.279bn.
The governor also said that 12 of those projects had been completed and put to use while construction work was ongoing on the others.
Fubara said that except for the Port Harcourt Ring Road project that was funded with the loan, other ambitious projects of his administration such as the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road, Okania-Ogbogoro Road, and the Trans-Kalabari Road were funded from accumulated IGR and federal allocations savings.
He said: “I wish to emphasize that with a combined cost of N528.6billion, the 50.15 kilometres Port Harcourt dual-carriage Ring Road, the dualisation of Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road and the Trans-Kalabari Road projects are the three most ambitious road projects ever carried out by any Governor in Rivers state.
“The 50.15 kilometres Port Harcourt Dual Carriage Ring Road, with six flyovers, one river crossing, walkways, drains, streetlights, and spanning six local government areas, was awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc at a total cost of N195.3billion for a 36-month completion period.
“The speed with which the project is advancing shows that this administration is in a hurry to deliver this project even before the due date with the 77 percent down payment of N150billion to the contractor. Presently, work on the project is progressing satisfactorily from six different locations.
“The 33.5-kilometre Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road was awarded on the 26th of March, 2024 at a total cost of N80.886billion to Craneburge Construction Company with a down payment of 50 percent of the contract sum and 24-month completion timeline. The contractor has since commenced work on this project.”
Fubara said in the health sector the Rivers State Emergency Ambulance Service had been resuscitated; facilities were upgraded at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, 1,000 medical personnel were employed, and 35 primary healthcare centres were empowered to function maximally.
The governor assured that his administration was committed to economic diversification through agriculture, stressing that efforts are at top gear to attract serious investors to take over and revive all state-owned farms and agricultural assets.
He said: “In addition, we have concluded plans to engage our youths in profitable agriculture, and applied to participate in the second phase of the Special Agro-processing Zones project of the African Development Bank, and all other agriculture development schemes of the Federal Government.”
In the education sector, Fubara explained that he inherited many uncompleted secondary schools’ reconstruction and other projects.
Fubara said: “On assumption of office, we quickly released funds to complete these schools and deliver them for public use.
“We released N1,902,334,833.33 as matching funds for the Universal Basic Education Board for the provision of infrastructure, including the rehabilitation of basic education schools.
“It is noteworthy that the State’s Universal Basic Education Board has used funds released to rehabilitate over 50 basic education schools across the State”
Fubara said the payment of salary to civil servants had been sustained, adding that an engineering firm was engaged to do a structural assessment of what could be done to give the Rivers State Secretariat Complex a facelift.
Speaking at the event as the Chairman of the occasion, former representative of Rivers East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator John Azuta Mbata, said the essence of democracy was for leaders to serve the people, be responsible to them, and work to improve their well-being.
Senator Mbata said Fubara had distinguished himself as a servant-leader whose one year in office was momentous, full of enormous accomplishments, and had such audacity to embark on an unusual phenomenon of reporting back to the people on how he had served them.
The chairman emphasised that Governor Fubara, by conducting himself as answerable to the people, had set a record difficult to match for upholding accountability and democracy, sustaining public trust, and fostering good governance.
He said: “So, we are glad that such an occasion has presented itself in this State, where our servant-leader is before the people to give account and show his scorecard. I congratulate you most heartily for this great achievement.
“Popular sovereignty principle connotes the fact that power belongs to the people. It is the people that leaders are called upon to serve. The people play the role of choosing their leaders through regular and periodic elections, and also the people have the mandate to renew or refuse to renew the mandate periodically.
“It is accountability that ensures responsibility and transparent exercise of power in the public interest. Accountability provides the opportunity for the players to explain and account for their performance in office. I am proud that His Excellency has chosen the path of transparency and accountability as Governor of Rivers State,” he said.
In his welcome address, Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Dr Tammy Danagogo, described Governor Fubara as an eagle leader.
He said: “Over the past one year, what has been going on in Rivers State is what I will call a quiet and noiseless revolution. His Excellency has been working very assiduously, performing very excellently, and without noise, daring and achieving what is seemingly impossible.
“Most of you know, like I said the other day, projects like the Trans-Kalabari Road, only the government of Dr Peter Odili was able to award the original Trans-Kalabari Road and after that, nobody has dared to do it. But, His Excellency has awarded it and that project has commenced.
“So, you can see, without equivocation, that indeed, Rivers State is witnessing a noiseless revolution. And you can see that without making noise, His Excellency is completing most of the uncompleted or abandoned projects, and initiating new crucial ones across the State.
“Today marks exactly one year since the people’s Governor was sworn into office. And in his characteristic quest for transparency and accountability, he has asked us to hold this forum so that he can give you, the good people of Rivers State who graciously voted him into office, a vivid account of his stewardship.”
Credit: The Nigeria Lawyer