A group of 60 Federal Lawmakers known as the G60 and South-South Youths have described the achievements recorded by the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, within one year of his administration as phenomenal and unmatchable.
According to the groups, Fubara’s infrastructure development in less than one year was a clear evidence that the governor has capacity despite failed attempts to distract him with political crisis.
In a joint statement signed by Comrade Jaja Johnson, the G-60 and South-South Youths said though Governor Fubara had been distracted by the political crisis in the state and actual governance started only three months ago when he began to call the bluff of his political detractors, his achievements in both infrastructure and social services have surpassed those of some past administrations.
They said the multibillion Port Harcourt Ring Road, Omoku and Kalabari Super Highway were redefining road construction with over half a trillion naira committed to them.
“In less than first 365 days of the Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State’s administration, over half a trillion naira has been committed to only three mega road projects out of many that have been started and are progressing rapidly with some nearing completion.
“For an administration to commit N501.2bn to only three roads in one year must in the face of vicious distraction is an uncommon feat. The Port Harcourt Ring Road is a giant infrastructure project that can
link the rural zone to the state capital.
“That was signed off on in July 2023 as the biggest project but just before the end of his one year in office, the Governor signed off on an even bigger single project, the much-expected Trans Kalabari Highway of over N225.1 billion.
“Also, the Rivers Executive Council has approved had approved N80.886 billion for the construction of the 33.5km long Elele-Omoku road project that will traverse three local government areas of the State – Ikwerre, Emohua and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni.
“Just last weekend, the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road project initiated by former governor Peter Odili who left office in 2007 but completed under Fubara’s administration was inaugurated. He is also committed to addressing in the next six months, the deteriorating state of the health sector in the state as shown at the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) meeting last Wednesday where Rivers State was classified as below benchmark in terms of enrollments and health facility availability. Education and agriculture are equally undergoing revolution.
“Beyond infrastructure, there is galvanization and restoration in the civil service with backlog of promotions, pensions cleared in addition to readiness to employ 10,000 fresh workers.
“Apart from that, the administration has disbursed N4 billion to businesses in the nano sector as well as the small and medium enterprise subsector from N400,000 to N10m each. This is being done through the Rivers State Micro Finance Agency (RIMA) in partnership with and technical support of Nigeria’s Bank of Industry (BoI).
“Another giant stride that stood His Excellency Fubara out is that, since May 29, 2023, the administration has raised the monthly IGR of the state from N12 billion that he met on assumption of office to N27 billion, which amounts to an increase of over 100 per cent and with this tempo the annual IGR would hit N324 billion.
“This a clear case of thinking outside the box, and rejigging the state’s internally generated revenue and transparency. It is on record that since the Governor’s assumption of office the least the state got from IGR is between N26 billion and N27 billion. The highest the state got before he took over was between N12 billion and N13billion at most.
“Before His Excellency, Mr Fubara became governor in May 2023, the yearly IGR of Rivers State in 2022 was N172.8 billion in 2022, indicating an average monthly IGR of N14.4 billion according to Nigeria’s data bank, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). In 2021 Rivers State IGR stood at N123.3 giving an average of N10.3 billion and in 2020, the state IGR was N117.2 billion while that of 2019 was N169.6 billion.”
