Governor Wike’s award and mobilization for three flyovers in Portharcourt are highly commendable. Apart from bridging the infrastructural deficit gap in the state, the projects are capable of creating lots of jobs and improving the livelihoods of people. Since Julius Berger is also working on Rumuokoro Flyover, they can quickly mobilize and fill the large crater at Nkpolu junction which has completely cut off the East-West road where people in the area now refer to as Seme-border. This crater has increased heavy-duty traffic along Obi Wali whose carriageway might fail very soon if this diversion continues. Julius Berger can be urged to do this as a CSR for the communities and Wike will still take the glory. 21 billion no be beans.
Rivers state governors usually don’t award this sort of contracts in their second term as second terms are often used for politics and positioning for the next level, therefore Wike deserves kudos for doing this in his second term.
The next key things the governor can do to reduce the outward migration of Rivers investors towards Lagos is to focus on security, easy access to land titles, reduction of multiple taxation and sanitation/road traffic management.
While the launch of operation sting is good but it’s also basic. The governor should go back to the original plan of establishing the neighbourhood watch. Security is most effective when it is homegrown. For example, it is only youths from Gokana that can effectively secure Gokana in partnership with the federal security forces.
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For land titles, the governor should realize that the state will make more money when land have titles because that are only when it can be taxed effectively. Having land titles also helps businesses, encourages investors and creates confidence in housing developers. Kaduna state has started issuing land titles electronically upon the payment of 20,000 Naira. In Rwanda, it is almost a same-day activity. Other governors in the state should learn from this. Allow people to have C of O for their land easily, you’d be helping yourself and also helping them.
For taxes, a joint tax board have to harmonize all taxes and levies in the state to reduce incessant demand notices from a cacophony of government agencies. Most times, these funds don’t even get to the government coffers, rather they end up in private pockets.
For sanitation it is easy. In fact, you’d save money and make more money when it is commercialized. The government shouldn’t be packing ‘doty ‘ for people for free. It is never done in any serious country and any free thing by the government is usually ineffective. The method of using road medians as official dumpsites is the most untidy and city disfiguring policy ever. Littering must be discouraged with a law and law enforcement agencies should be encouraged to arrest those who drop as little as pieces of papers on the streets.
For road traffic management, you might not need a different agency for this, just encourage the police and other law enforcement agencies to arrest traffic offenders. Of course, they will collect bribe from people, but offenders will be discouraged by the time they pay the bribe once or twice.
Congratulations Governor Wike.
