From Tony John, Port Harcourt

Rivers Governor,  Nyesom Wike, has said the achievements of his administration, in terms of delivery of critical infrastructure, has diminished the impact of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The governor made the assertion at the flag-off of construction work of the Ogbum-nu-Abali/Eastern-Bypass Road project in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

Wike said the previous administration politicised the reconstruction of the Ogbum-nu-Abali/Eastern-Bypass road and actually failed to accomplish it.

He said he has defiled those political intrigues  and has genuinely interfaced with the people to understand the economic benefits of a dualised road in the city centre.

He said  with the level of infrastructural development around Ogbum-nu-Abali, there would be a spike in the value of property and enhanced economic activities.

“I know that the people of Ogbum-nu-Abali resisted the dualisation of this road because of lack of information. When I met with the community leaders, they said look, they have houses bequeathed to them by their grandparents. I told them that whether they like it or not,  if I don’t dualise it today, tomorrow somebody else will do it. And you don’t know who is coming. So, it is better done now that I am a governor than when you don’t know who is coming. And the economic benefit of this road is too much, which you may not understand now.”

The  governor said the entire Old Government Residential Area (GRA) had been given a facelift with quality road projects.

“This is the only place remaining. Old GRA cannot be like that and then we will leave this place. We have done the Rebisi flyover,  the Oru-Abali  flyover. There is no way this place will not be dualised at all. It’s not possible.”

Member representing Port Harcourt federal constituency 1,  Kenneth Chikere, said the formal flag-off ceremony has ended  speculations about the possibility of executing the project.