Governor Wike: A Statesman Committed to Development

The successful  launch  of the clean-up exercise  of Ogoni land on Thursday  at Bodo  City by President Muhammadu Buhari who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo brings to the fore, Governor  Wike’s  political  and  social  engineering  skills.

That event highlighted why majority  of  the  people  of  Rivers  State  voted for Governor Wike to pilot the affairs of the state and steer it on the path of development.  That event was a complete departure from the drama of the recent past when the immediate  past  administration  used State Government  resources  to fight the Federal Government, irrespective  of  the  project  or programme  initiated to improve  the  lives of  the people.

A day to the launch of the clean-up exercise,  the Rivers State APC released a statement  aimed at provoking  violence  in  the  state.    As usual,  the  Rivers State APC sponsored  some sponsored  misguided resident  media practitioners  to amplify this anti-people  statement.

As a statesman with the interest of  Rivers  State  at heart,  Governor  Nyesom  Ezenwo  Wike made a state-wide  broadcast  were he outlined measures  that will ensure  the  peaceful  launch of  the clean-up exercise of Ogoniland. This state-wide broadcast calmed frayed nerves.

Unlike the Rivers State APC  and her leaders, Governor  Wike  worked hard to ensure that the development  of  Ogoni land  is placed beyond  any form of  politics.

On Thursday,  2nd June, 2016, Governor Wike  set aside political  differences and  accorded the  representative of  the  President  the respect due his office. The entire Rivers State Executive Council  and leaders of the state were at the Port Harcourt  International Airport  to receive  the  Vice President and also bid him farewell  upon the conclusion  of  his assignment  in the state.

The governor  worked round the clock to create the right environment  for the event to succeed.  He has also set up the right framework  for  the  clean up  process which will last about three decades to succeed.

As the People’s Governor,  Nyesom Ezenwo Wike  outlined  his thoughts for the improvement  of  the  Ogoni  environment  and  the  entire  Niger Delta community.

He said his administration   will provide  the  required the required  platform for the successful clean-up of Ogoni land.  He pledged the total support  of the Rivers State Government for the exercise.

He said: "On our part, the Rivers State Government will ever be willing to provide the platform for a smooth achievement of this long awaited intervention.

"We acknowledge that this is a federal initiative. The direct impact is borne by our people. We therefore urge all our stakeholders to embrace and support this Federal Government gesture and ensure a hitch-free exercise ".

The governor  commended President  Muhammadu Buhari  for initiating the clean up  exercise,  noting that the presence of top officials  of the Rivers State Government  indicated that the state will fully  support  the exercise.

He noted: "We therefore welcome this initiative wholeheartedly as shown by our enthusiastic presence, believing that the recommendations of UNEP will be systematically executed. This is because, we believe, that only environmental justice would restore sustainable peace, stability and socio-economic progress in the Niger Delta.

"We are therefore commend Mr. President’s determination to close this ugly chapter in our country’s history. Although this has taken long in coming; it is never too late when it comes to the environment. Therefore, Mr. President Sir, your presence in Ogoniland today is a testimonial of the long awaited clean-up and remediation exercises of the Niger Delta polluted environment."

The  governor  stated that the entire Niger Delta has been subjected to the worst forms of environmental degradation ever experienced by mankind in this part of the world.

He added that Millions of barrels of oil have been spilled into the environment by companies exploiting and extracting hydrocarbons from the area with severe consequences to the ecosystem, including wildlife, marine habitations, soil and water quality and human health.

According to him: "Despite continuing protests by the people, the environmental degradation of the Niger Delta has not stopped. Oil spills continue to occur with distressing regularity even in Ogoniland, where oil exploitation had since 1993 ceased.

"As the UNEP Report starkly reveals, the degree of environmental damage in the Niger Delta has been so deep and expansive that it would take several decades to carry out full remediation of impacted sites.

"The UNEP report, which is the precursor to today’s event, is significant for at least, two reasons. First, it presents the best available and factually detailed documentation of the scale of the existing and continuing damage to the entire Ogoni environment and by extension, the Niger Delta.

"Second and most significantly, it presents a clear roadmap on the priorities for action by government, stakeholders and the international community in terms of clean-up, remediation and restoration of the damage that has accumulated over the years. "

Governor Wike has continued  to  work for the Ogoni  people  and  other ethnic nationalities  in Rivers State.  Already,  work has been intensified on the the dualization  of  the Sakpenwa-Bori Road which was flagged  off  by  the  governor  recently.  The rehabilitation  of  the  Birabi Memorial Grammar School in Bori is on course. The  governor  is a statesman who works for the people  at all times. While the opposition  thinks of elections,  Governor  Wike  thinks of the development  of  Rivers State.

Those who struggled to manipulate the flag off  to generate crisis  in  Rivers State,  have failed once again.  They have discovered  that  the governor’s  popularity  is deep-rooted and cannot be shaken by mere propaganda  and cheap plots.

Simeon Nwakaudu,

Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic Media.

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