From: TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo will be expected in Rivers State, on Thursday, for the commissioning of some projects executed by the Governor Nyesom Wike-led administration.
Also, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnonghen, will on Wednesday, lay the foundation stone for the construction of a Judges’ Quarters in the state.
Governor Wike announced this, on Monday, while speaking during a courtesy visit by Anglican bishops of the Province of the Niger Delta on Monday, adding that Osinbajo would commission, “Chokocho-Umuechem-Ozuzu Road in Etche Local Government Area, IgboEtche-Chokocho-Rumuokwurusi Interchange Road, Rukpokwu Market Junction to Aluu Road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area”.
Other projects to be by the acting president included Rumuokoro Market and Park in Obio/Akpor LGA and Ogbunabali Internal Roads in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.
He explained that the Judges’ Quarters is necessary as the State is working towards ensuring that the judiciary is positioned to resist the temptation to be corrupt.
“When judges retire, they will go with the houses. The State Government is building these houses to ensure that they are comfortable to carry out their constitutional roles”, Wike said.
He thanked the bishops of the Anglican Church Province of the Niger Delta for their support, expressing happiness that he is meeting the bishops and their spouses collectively for the first time.
He said: “As far as God has given us the opportunity to serve the state, we must continue to partner with the Church. It is by God’s grace that we are here. We will do everything to support the Church”.
Archbishop of Anglican Niger Delta Province, Most Rev. Ignatius Kattey said Governor Wike had laid the foundation for the continuous development of the State.
He urged other Nigerian leaders to visit the State to witness the rapid development taking place under the leadership of Governor Wike.
Kattey further said that the fight against corruption could only be effective when it begins with those at its vanguard, regretting that Christians were always at the receiving end of religious conflicts in parts of the country.
Meanwhile, Governor Wike has assured market women at the Creek Road Market in Port Harcourt, that his administration would construct a befitting market for them.
He gave the assurance yesterday, during his inspection of projects and appealed to the market women trading on the middle of the road to immediately vacate the place.
The governor explained that he had to personally interface with the market women because the contractor handling the road complained that the traders were obstructing ongoing construction work.
According to the governor, there was no need to apply force because the construction of the road would be beneficial to the traders.
He said: “I am here to personally appeal to you to stop trading on the middle of the road. This will allow the contractors to continue with their job.
“The contractors must have to finish this job. It will not be wise that the state’s money is lost because you are distracting the contractors. Please, assist me by leaving the middle of the road, so that they can work”.
In a related development, in line with the directive of Governor Wike, engineers from Julius Berger and the State Ministry of Works, had started preliminary work at different flood impacted locations in the State.
It would be recalled that Governor Wike inspected flood impacted locations on Sunday, where he directed for immediate remedial measures.