As his second term as a governor is winding down, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said it is now time for ” stomach infrastructure” in the state.
Wike spoke during the inauguration of the Oro-Abali flyover at the Kaduna Street Junction along the Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway in Port Harcourt.
According to the governor, he refused to be sharing government monies since he assumed office 2015.
“Now that we have done virtually everything we have promised Rivers people, this is the time now we have to play politics of stomach infrastructure,” the former minister of state for education said during the event held on Tuesday.
“What people do not understand; people think when you are in government, from [the] first day, you should be sharing money. I said I won’t do that.
“I have to work for the people of the state. Now that we have worked, the remaining period will be to feed your stomach.”
He said when people are taken care of, they are better positioned to contribute positively to the development of the state. He said in most developed countries, the governments map out empowerment schemes to help ameliorate the plight of their citizens, especially the vulnerable. Governor Wike also revealed further plans to empower Rivers residents.
“There is time for everything. Now, the time has come. We have to start to empower our people. The empowerment is for those who have been patient,” the governor restated.
“So, every local government, every community will have a pattern of how we are to empower our people. As a government, when there is unemployment, some people bring out what they called welfare schemes to be able to cushion the level of poverty in the society. That is what we are going to apply here.”
Wike hailed his administration’s infrastructure strides since he took over in 2015 and challenged those who think otherwise to present proof. The governor said he delivered the infrastructure because he resisted the temptation to share public funds which many expected from him.
