Our attention has been drawn to a media briefing published in the Punch
newspaper of Tuesday, March 23, 2021 titled “Stop attacks on Amaechi,
focus on governance, CMD tells Wike” made by the ignoble Chief Medical
Director of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Prof.
Henry Ugboma.
In the said publication, the supposed Chief Medical Director now turned
political erand boy of Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi,
appeared to be urging the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike to
focus on governance and stop denigrating the Minister of Transportation,
Rotimi Amaechi.
In an apparent state of amnesia, Professor Henry Ugboma was quoted as
saying “Governor Wike should leave the Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi alone.
Amaechi is very busy putting the country in shape, going to civilised
societies, the railway line is the means of transportation and Amaechi
is doing this so that the economy of the country will improve to connect
the food basket of the whole state together, transporting people from
one end to the other.
Ordinarily, we would have dismissed the vatupuration of Professor Henry
Ugboma as outburst of a retardant, but we are inadvertently taken aback
that the expression of ignorance of the economic waste the flag off of
the narrow gauge rail line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri at a time the
world is talking of standard gauge.
It indeed would be foolhardy to join issues with Hery Ugboma who has
betrayed his social reputation by insinuating in that briefing that
“What is development if not (the flag off of narrow gauge rail line)
that? It is not in this road that the governor of Rivers State is doing
in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor local government areas. That is not what
will connect the Nation. ”
First and foremost, there is no comparison between the massive road
infrastructural revolution Rivers State has experienced under the
Government of His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and that of the present
APC led federal government talk less of the achievements of Ugboma’s
political master, Rotimi Amaechi in the transportation sector.
Even if Professor Ugboma is blinded by his card carrying status as a
member of the shattered All Progressives Congress (APC), he can attest
at least attest to the fact that the recent commissioning of marathon
projects initiated and executed by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike in less
than six years are signature projects not only in Port Harcourt and
Obio/Akpor but also in all the 23 local government areas of Rivers
State.
No doubt, the emptiness of ideas and vague thoughts in the expression of
Henry Ugboma shows clearly that he and his master have been overwhelmed
by the beehive of activities in the state attended by dignitaries from
different parts of the country not only to witness but also perform the
inauguration of these breathtaking flyovers bridges and roads
infrastructures in Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor, Akuku-Toru, Ogu/bolo,
Khanna, Ikwerre, Emohua amongst others.
May we remind a distasteful people like Henry Ugboma that five years
down the line, besides massive roads infrastructure to boost high
economic activities in the State, Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has
gradually but steadily both the healthcare and education sectors, both
in infrastructure and human capital development, with training,
expansion policies as well as regular supportive activities on health
and educational facilities in Rivers State.
In one of the occasional visits of well thinking citizens of this
country, former Governor of Imo State and Chairman, Senate Committee on
Culture and Tourism, Senator Rochas Okorocha, after visiting the
state-of-the-art Government House clinic said,”This can only be seen
here. It is a top class hospital, the kind you can find abroad. It is a
typical German standard hospital which the equipment that I have seen
here. Hospitals are determined by the equipment they carry. All the
latest equipment that take you abroad for medical tourism are all here.
Nigerians should take advantage of this place rather than spending
millions travelling abroad. I commend Governor Wike for a job well
done.”
While commissioning the reconstructed Opobo and Tombia (now renamed
Chief Ferdinand Alabraba) Crescents former Governor of Kastina State,
Alhaji Ibrahim Shema noted, “Rivers State, since you (Wike) became
governor, is experiencing changes in terms of development. The list goes
on because you have touched all sectors. But clearly, what is critical
in this effort is that you are applying resources where it matters most.
You are therefore, helping to grow the economy in Rivers State by which
you are ensuring peace and security with economic development. I am
sure, by the grace of God, by the time you leave office, your after
story will live after you and your children.”
Inaugurating the Government House clinic, former Senate President, and
two term governor of Kwara state, Dr. Bukola Saraki, himself a
distinguished Medical Doctor, hailed Governor Wike for investing in
critical infrastructure such as healthcare which is very important in
reduction of poverty, “I believe that this Clinic is not only for the
people of Rivers State, it is for the country and for the whole African
continent.”
The list of Wike’s impact to national development is endless. One very
significant legacy project we may also need to draw attention to is
the Real Madrid Academy which caught the fancy of the APC led Federal
Government and was commissioned by the Minister of Youth and Sports,
Sunday Dare who remarked that Wike has laid a standard for football
development in Nigeria for others to emulate.
Highly elated by Wike’s achievements, Dare said the academy was a worthy
and long-term investment in human and capital development that will soon
be the new oil well of Rivers State and the country and many families.
“The Real Madrid Football Academy, Port Harcourt is an educational tool
capable of contributing to the comprehensive development of personality
of our youths by creating jobs and wealth. The academy divides its
activities into sports, education and culture. This is in sync with our
philosophy of combining education and sports. The speed at this project
was completed must make other countries grind with envy,” Dare said.
From the forgoing, we expected Henry Ugboma who appears to have no
defence to the abysmal performance of his master, Rotimi Amaechi as a
minister since 2015 till date, particularly as it regards attracting
development to Rivers State, to have kept his mouth shut after the
performing Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike sincerely noted while
commissioning the 6.1 km long, 7.3 m wide Omuihuechi-Omuoko-Omokiri road
in Aluu, Ikwerre local Government area that it was disingenuous for the
Federal Government to flag off narrow gauge rail line from Port Harcourt
to Maiduguri at a time when the rest of the world was building standard
gauge rail lines.
How appropriate can we explain to people like Henry Ugboma whose right
sense of reasoning seems to have failed them that Governor Wike got it
right when he observed that instead of giving us the standard gauge to
Maiduguri over which they are making noise, Rivers State, the Treasure
Base of the Nation, the State from which they got the money to produce
their President, it’s towards the end of their administration that they
come and tell us of narrow gauge rail line which the Federal Government
is unlikely to be complete within the 33 months promised.
In his effort to play to the gallery, we have expected the malignant
Professor Henry Ugboma to provide answer to the question asked by
Governor Wike, “You want to finish the narrow gauge in 33 months, will
he (Amaechi) be in power then?” Who is deceiving who? Or is Henry Ugboma
lending tacit support to the allegations of having not accounted for
$308 million being proceeds of property of Rivers State sold by his
master, Rotimi Amaechi while he was governor of the State?
Apparently, it is very evident in his incoherent and disjointed
expressions of the press statement that Professor Henry Ugboma’s claim
that aside the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC,
other statutory boards including board of internal revenue, local
government service commission, post primary school board, others were
almost non-existent in the State, are only uttered out of the figment
of his imagination.
For emphasis, Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has demonstrated clear
visionary leadership since he became governor in 2015 till date. He has
demonstrated transparency and prudent management of resources which has
enabled him achieve so much in the overall development of Rivers State
to the shame of the opposition led by his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi
who had earlier told the world that he (Wike) would not be able to pay
salaries talk less of executing projects. Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike
has proven beyond any doubt that he is a man of integrity who can be
trusted with the mandate of the people of Rivers State and beyond. At
every given opportunity, Wike has never minced words by saying “I will
not abandon any project for my successor.”
Amieyeofori Ibim,
Special Assistant (Media) to Honourable Commissioner for Information and
Communications, Rivers State.