Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, has identified the elimination of the upland/riverine dichotomy as one of the greatest achievements of his administrations.
The Governor made this known during an interview with the organizers of Zik Leadership Prize Award. Wike said his administration has been able to promote unity for the overall development of the state.
“First of all, you remember that the founding fathers of this state maintained that Rivers State should be seen as a land of opportunity, where people will have to achieve their potential in life. Before, in this state, all you would see or hear was tribalism; that you are from the upland or the riverine and, so, people were not doing things as if we were one Rivers.
“So, we believe that, one way we must achieve, if we see ourselves as one, and once that is done, then, we have moved to the next step. So, today, our concern is that issue of upland/riverine is no longer necessary. We see ourselves as one Rivers and it is necessary because of the projects and programmes we are carrying out in all the local government areas. So, upland/riverine differences has been relegated to the background.
“There are projects going on everywhere and if you don’t do that, people will begin to talk of favouritism; that we are this or that and vice versa. Therefore, the issue is to bring everybody together,” Wike said.
The governor said the state made tremendous progress in the last three years because project execution had been prioritised.
“We have to move and that is why, today, most people are beginning to have hope and they are happy also that Rivers Sate is moving. It is no longer stagnated as it used to be. We have moved from point A to point B.
“Our concern is to make sure we use the economic potential of the state for the greater interest of our people by turning around what we have from what we use to have,” he said.
Wike said his administration is committed to making sure Rivers takes its rightful position in the comity of states in the country.
Rivers under his watch, he noted, is one of the leading centres of rapid growth, adding that he inherited a collapsed infrastructure and damaged governance structure.
He said achievements in governance could only be made possible by commitment and passion, and not just the experience of the office holder.
The governor is among nine prominent Nigerians, who have won the 2017 Zik Prize Award. He emerged the winner of the Zik Prize in Good Governance.
Meanwhile, Wike has reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensure the peace being enjoyed in the state is maintained.
The governor disclosed this yesterday, during a plenary session of the 37th annual synod of Methodist Church of Nigeria, Port Harcourt Diocese, at Banham Memorial Methodist Cathedral, Port Harcourt.
Represented by his deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, Wike said peace is an effective ingredient for development to thrive in the state.
“As a government, we have always been committed to ensure peace is maintained. But, above all, we want to thank the Almighty God for giving us the peace that passes all understanding, the peace that is far above the imagination of our detractors.”
