Rivers State Administrator, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, says political peace is gradually returning to the state because of the inclusive dialogue and non-partisan consultations with key stakeholders.
Vice Admiral Ibas spoke during a courtesy visit by the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on the Oversight of the Administrator in the State, led by the Chairman, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, at Government House, Port Harcourt, emphasizing that reconciliation efforts championed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the willingness of political actors to collaborate have laid the foundation for ongoing stability.
The Administrator also highlighted reforms in the civil service, including leadership training, salary structure adjustments, and a historic biometric verification exercise for staff and pensioners, noting that long-standing arrears to health workers had been cleared, while pension systems were streamlined, with payments now made directly to beneficiaries.
He said his administration approved free health insurance for all state pensioners under the revitalized RIVCHIPP scheme, and mandated the enrollment of all civil servants in the program.
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Vice Admiral Ibas however expressed strong dissatisfaction over the state of the Port Harcourt Ring Road Project, describing the contractor’s performance in the project awarded at approximately One Hundred and Ninety-Five Billion Naira with Seventy-Seven percent yet remains largely unexecuted as regrettable.
He assured residents that under his administration the resources of the state must be judiciously used, warning that contractors must honour lawful agreements and terms as their will be corresponding consequences.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on the Oversight of the Administrator in Rivers State, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, said their visit is to have first hand knowledge of ongoing projects in the state and seek the views of stakeholders on the direction of the state going forward.
Prof. Ihonvbere who noted the desire of the committee to ensure that good governance, enduring peace, institutions and structures of governance and democratic practice returns to the state and Rivers people get value for every money spent, observed that contract to negative reportage of the state, there is evidence of peace and order and the state moving in the right direction, commending the Administrator for his efforts and investment to restoring peace, law and order in the state.
