Dr. Dakuku Peterside, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on Tuesday accused Governor Nyesom Wike of commissioning projects that were not completed by the Rotimi Amaechi administration while claiming all the glory to himself.
Speaking in a chat with newsmen in Lagos, Peterside, who was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 general elections in Rivers state also said Wike has done nothing in the last three years, adding that the state is number one in unemployment index in the country based on the report of the National Bureau of Statistics.
While challenging the media to investigate some of the projects that Wike is crediting to himself, Peterside said the Wike administration has failed to carry out its main responsibilities which is securing lives and properties and producing a conducive environment for businesses to thrive.
“I believe Governor Wike has done nothing in Rivers. He claims he is doing road projects. How can a governor be celebrating the commissioning of a road of one kilometre? I don’t know if that is what government is all about. Government is beyond that. In terms of providing a conducive environment for businesses to thrive, I don’t think anybody will say we have done well in Rivers.
“You can do a google search yourself, the number one state in unemployment in the country today is Rivers state, according to the National Bureau of Statistics report. Why is Rivers state number one? Is it that there are no industries in the state? No. The fact is that industries are leaving the state in droves because government’s main responsibility is to provide conducive environment for businesses to thrive.
“The environment in Rivers state today is not conducive, by reason of insecurity, multiple taxation and reason of government not providing the right policy framework. If you want to secure land today to develop your business in Rivers state , you can be sure that every Tom, Dick and Harry will come and harass you. Under the Rotimi Amaechi administration, things were different.
“By my own assessment, the Wike administration has done well at all since coming to office in May 2015. I don’t know of any particular area that they can say they have done well. I am being honest and frank, I don’t know one area they will say they have done well”.
“I can start with physical infrastructures, he has done some roads for which I give him credit. He has also completed some roads started by the Amaechi administration but I keep telling him that completion of projects is not bad, but give credit to whom credit is due” .
“There is a road that begins at the end of Peter Odili road which will take you to a place called Apajio. The Amaechi administration built two bridges and one flyover. It was started during my time as Commissioner for Works. Wike came in and just did a resurfacing of the last part of it and he called everybody to come and commission the road without acknowledging the fact that two bridges and a flyover was completed by the previous administration”.
“The least I expected is that, yes, the previous government did the following things, we completed it’. That is the issue I have with him.
“In terms of security, the government has done nothing to secure Rivers state. The state is still unsafe as we speak.”
