From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike said his administration is deliberately creating new roads through Woji and Eleme Towns into Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone to encourage substantial industrial activities and advance Rivers economy.

Governor Wike  listed the new 10.3 kilometre Indorama-Agbonchia-Ogale-Ebubu-East West Link Road; the 6.5kilometre dual carriage Woji-Aleto-Alesa-Refinery Road, the reconstruction of the 7.2 kilometre long Alode-Onne Road and 3 kilometre Alode internal roads, as among the roads projects his administration embarked upon.

Governor Wike spoke at the flag-off of reconstruction work on the 7.2kilometre long Alode-Onne Road and 3 kilometre internal Roads on Tuesday, which was performed by Donald Duke, former governor of Cross River State in Alode town of Eleme Local Government Area.

The governor said Eleme council serves as the economy hub of Rivers State and everything is being done to attract more investors while encouraging already existing ones.

Governor stated that the efforts for his administration were deliberate and determined to open up the area some more.

He expressed the hope,  that someday soon, the federal government could awaken to its responsibility and respond to rehabilitating the deplorable East/ West Road.

“This is the economic hub of the State. Therefore, everything must be done to make sure more economic activities are attracted here. Opening all these roads will, of course, give the companies the hope that one day,  the  Federal Government will remember the East West Road.”

Governor Wike thanked Eleme people for the sustained support to his administration since 2015 and the trusted political leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) they nominated to work with him.

The governor pointed to how selfless their leaders had being by working assiduously to attract development to the area and not being content with personal aggrandizement.

He reiterated his conviction about the need why people should use whatever privileged position they have to work for the betterment of the people and communities they represent.

He remarked that the likes of Isaac Kamalu and Senator Olaka Nwogu, among other leaders, were behind some development projects attracted to the area.

With proof of such democratic dividend, Governor Wike said, Eleme  people would listen to their leaders when they come to tell them who to vote in the 2023 general election.

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Wike emphasised that their sons, particularly Orji Ngofa, a former Nigerian ambassador to The Netherlands and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) failed to attract democratic dividend to his people despite the fact that he served the Federal Government and was closed to the former minster of transportation.

“Look at the only seaport (Onne) we have that is employing our youths, while we had a Minister of Transportation and Orji was an ambassador, what happened? They killed our seaport.”

Performing the flag-off, former governor of Cross River, Donald Duke noted that despite the heightening political activities, governor Wike has not abdicated governance.

Duke said it takes a man who loves his people and desire the gains of development for them that would set out 23 more days flagging off of more projects at the twilight of the administration.

The former Cross River State governor acknowledged that governor Wike has developed Rivers State tremendously and secured the peace, which has  made it liveable for all Nigerians.

Duke regretted that in Nigeria, critical roads to connect seaports to industrial companies were not constructed and maintained.

He pointed out that such bad culture frustrates evacuation of goods to the market and for export, thereby making the county to lose massive revenue.

“Unfortunately, there’s a complete disregard for the critical sectors of our economy. that you cannot have ingress or egress out of Eleme is a sad thing to say. Ordinarily, this should be a national concern. You can’t cut your nose to spite your face. This is what Nigeria does all the time. Forget the politics,  forget what party is leading. Forget who the governor is, but you get massive revenues from the investments that are in these areas and you ignore evacuation.”

Duke expressed optimism that with the massive investment in roads and other critical infrastructure in Rivers State, which ironically is not the richest in the country, it would soon emerge the industrial heartbeat of the nation.

“If each state had done something to the extent in which they can, and this state is not the richest state in Nigeria. There are states that get a lot more, but you can’t see it. You have to really strain your eyes to see what they’ve done with their resources.”

Providing the description of the project, Rivers State Commissioner for Works George-Kelly Dakorinima Alabo said the reconstruction of the 7. 2 kilometre long Alode-Onne Road and  Alode internal roads are symbolic and are of serious economic importance to the State.

 

Alabo stated that the Alode-Onne Road which measures 7.2 kilometres long, 10.3 meters wide with drains of 900 by 900 millimetres depth of 150 millimetres wall thickness and 150 millimetres base thickness, will create alternative route from East/West to promote ease of doing business.

According to him, the Alode internal roads are 11 in number, measuring three kilometres in length, of 7.3 meters wide with drains on both