Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has dismissed claims by his immediate predecessor and current minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, that he (Wike) has been commissioning projects initiated and completed by the minister when he was Governor.
Theportcitynews.com reported that the Minister of Transportation had during a grand reception organized in his honor by the Chiefs and people of Ishimbam General Assembly (IGA) in conjunction with the Free Rivers Development Initiative (FRDI) at the Freedom Square, Elele in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the State, stated that some projects being commissioned by his successor were projects already completed by him during his administration.
He said Wike was taking credits for his administration’s achievements because he (Amaechi) did not place priority in commissioning projects.
However, reacting to statements credited to Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi during the commission of the Rivers State University College of Medical Sciences complex in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, Wike said that such claims made by his predecessor do not hold water as he will not leave any projects initiated and completed by his administration to anyone to commission them.
The governor noted that instead of the minister to fight over projects initiated and completed by his administration, he should revamp the decaying Port Harcourt International Airport, the Onne Seaport and the Nigerian Port Authority in Onne.
Governor Wike also challenged Amaechi to name one thing he has done for the state since he became minister under the present administration, saying that as minister of state for education, he brought faculty of law to University of Portharcourt, ensured that Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education got 500 million Naira support funds each.
Governor Wike, while thanking the Sokoto State for honouring his invitation to commission the complex, said that he has ceased to attend the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja because some people do not want him to attend.
Wike said that the construction of the Rivers State University College of Medical Sciences complex became necessary due to the need to bridge the huge manpower gap in medical field in the state, adding that before now, only University of Portharcourt had a medical school where doctors were produced in the entire state.
The governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Tambuwal, commended the state government for the initiative, noting that from what he has seen so far, the governor has done well for the people of Rivers state.
The former speaker of House Representatives urged the students to ensure that they reciprocate the gestures of the state government by maximizing the opportunities given to them.
