Our attention has been drawn to a media briefing published in the Punch
\nnewspaper of Tuesday, March 23, 2021 titled “Stop attacks on Amaechi,
\nfocus on governance, CMD tells Wike”\u00a0 \u00a0made by the ignoble Chief Medical
\nDirector of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Prof.
\nHenry Ugboma.<\/p>\n
In the said publication,\u00a0 the supposed Chief Medical Director now turned
\npolitical erand boy of Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi,
\nappeared\u00a0 to be urging the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike to
\nfocus on governance and stop denigrating the Minister of Transportation,
\nRotimi Amaechi.<\/p>\n
In an apparent state of amnesia, Professor Henry Ugboma was quoted as
\nsaying “Governor Wike should leave\u00a0 the Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi alone.
\nAmaechi is very busy putting the country in shape,\u00a0 going to civilised
\nsocieties, the railway line is the means of transportation and Amaechi
\nis doing this so that the economy of the country will improve to connect
\nthe food basket of the whole state together, transporting people from
\none end to the other.<\/p>\n
Ordinarily, we would have dismissed the vatupuration of Professor Henry
\nUgboma as outburst\u00a0 of a retardant, but we are inadvertently taken aback
\nthat the expression of ignorance of the economic waste the flag off of
\nthe narrow gauge rail line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri at a time the
\nworld is talking of standard gauge.<\/p>\n
It indeed would be foolhardy\u00a0 to join issues with Hery Ugboma who has
\nbetrayed his social reputation by insinuating in that briefing that
\n“What is development if not (the flag off of narrow gauge rail line)
\nthat? It is not in this road that the governor of Rivers State is doing
\nin Port Harcourt and Obio\/Akpor local government areas. That is not what
\nwill connect the Nation. ”<\/p>\n
First and foremost, there is no comparison between the massive road
\ninfrastructural revolution Rivers State has experienced under the
\nGovernment of His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and that of the present
\nAPC led federal government talk less of the achievements of Ugboma’s
\npolitical master, Rotimi Amaechi in the transportation sector.<\/p>\n
Even if Professor Ugboma is\u00a0 blinded by his card carrying status as a
\nmember of the shattered All Progressives Congress (APC), he can attest
\nat least attest to the fact that the recent commissioning of marathon
\nprojects initiated and executed by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike in less
\nthan\u00a0 six years are signature projects not only in Port Harcourt and
\nObio\/Akpor but also in all the 23 local government areas of Rivers
\nState.<\/p>\n
No doubt, the emptiness of ideas and vague thoughts in the expression of
\nHenry Ugboma shows clearly that he and his master have been overwhelmed
\nby the beehive of activities in the state attended by dignitaries from
\ndifferent parts of the country not only to witness but also perform the
\ninauguration of these breathtaking flyovers bridges and roads
\ninfrastructures in Port Harcourt, Obio\/Akpor,\u00a0 Akuku-Toru, Ogu\/bolo,
\nKhanna, Ikwerre, Emohua amongst others.<\/p>\n
May we remind a distasteful people like Henry Ugboma that five years
\ndown the line, besides massive roads infrastructure to boost high
\neconomic activities in the State, Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has
\ngradually but steadily both the healthcare and education sectors, both
\nin infrastructure and human capital development, with training,
\nexpansion policies as well as regular supportive\u00a0 activities on health
\nand educational facilities in Rivers State.<\/p>\n
In one of the occasional visits of well thinking citizens of this
\ncountry, former Governor of Imo State and Chairman, Senate Committee on
\nCulture and Tourism, Senator Rochas Okorocha, after visiting the
\nstate-of-the-art Government House clinic said,”This can only be seen
\nhere. It is a top class hospital, the kind you can find abroad. It is a
\ntypical German standard hospital which the equipment that I have seen
\nhere. Hospitals are determined by the equipment they carry. All the
\nlatest equipment that take you abroad for medical tourism are all here.
\nNigerians should take advantage of this place rather than spending
\nmillions travelling abroad. I commend Governor Wike for a job well
\ndone.”<\/p>\n
While commissioning the reconstructed Opobo and Tombia (now renamed
\nChief Ferdinand Alabraba) Crescents former Governor of Kastina State,
\nAlhaji Ibrahim Shema noted, “Rivers State, since you (Wike) became
\ngovernor, is experiencing changes in terms of development. The list goes
\non because you have touched all sectors. But clearly, what is critical
\nin this effort is that you are applying resources where it matters most.
\nYou are therefore, helping to grow the economy in Rivers State by which
\nyou are ensuring peace and security with economic development. I am
\nsure, by the grace of God, by the time you leave office, your after
\nstory will live after you and your children.”<\/p>\n
Inaugurating the Government House clinic, former Senate President, and
\ntwo term governor of Kwara state, Dr. Bukola Saraki, himself a
\ndistinguished Medical Doctor, hailed Governor Wike for investing in
\ncritical infrastructure such as healthcare which is very important in
\nreduction of poverty, “I believe that this Clinic is not only for the
\npeople of Rivers State, it is for the country and for the whole African
\ncontinent.”<\/p>\n
The list of Wike’s impact to national development is endless. One very
\nsignificant\u00a0 \u00a0legacy project we may also need to draw attention to is
\nthe Real Madrid Academy which caught the fancy of the APC led Federal
\nGovernment and was commissioned by the Minister of Youth and Sports,
\nSunday Dare who remarked that Wike has laid a standard for football
\ndevelopment in Nigeria for others to emulate.<\/p>\n
Highly elated by Wike’s achievements, Dare said the academy was a worthy
\nand long-term investment in human and capital development that will soon
\nbe the new oil well of Rivers State and the country and many families.
\n“The Real Madrid Football Academy, Port Harcourt is an educational tool
\ncapable of contributing to the comprehensive development of personality
\nof our youths by creating jobs and wealth. The academy divides its
\nactivities into sports, education and culture. This is in sync with our
\nphilosophy of combining education and sports. The speed at this project
\nwas completed must make other countries grind with envy,” Dare said.<\/p>\n
From the forgoing, we expected Henry Ugboma who appears to have no
\ndefence to the abysmal performance of his master, Rotimi Amaechi as a
\nminister since 2015 till date, particularly as it regards attracting
\ndevelopment to Rivers State, to have kept his mouth shut after the
\nperforming Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike sincerely noted while
\ncommissioning the 6.1 km long, 7.3 m wide Omuihuechi-Omuoko-Omokiri road
\nin Aluu, Ikwerre local Government area that it was disingenuous for the
\nFederal Government to flag off narrow gauge rail line from Port Harcourt
\nto Maiduguri at a time when the rest of the world was building standard
\ngauge rail lines.<\/p>\n
How appropriate can we explain to people like Henry Ugboma whose right
\nsense of reasoning seems to have failed them that Governor Wike got it
\nright when he observed that instead of giving us the standard gauge to
\nMaiduguri over which they are making noise,\u00a0 Rivers State, the Treasure
\nBase of the Nation, the State from which they got the money to produce
\ntheir President, it’s towards the end of their administration that they
\ncome and tell us of narrow gauge rail line which the Federal\u00a0 Government
\nis unlikely to be complete within the 33 months promised.<\/p>\n
In his effort to play to the gallery, we have expected the malignant
\nProfessor Henry Ugboma to provide answer to the question asked by
\nGovernor Wike, “You want to finish the narrow gauge in 33 months,\u00a0 will
\nhe (Amaechi) be in power then?” Who is deceiving who? Or is Henry Ugboma
\nlending tacit support to the allegations of having not accounted for
\n$308 million being proceeds of property of Rivers State sold by his
\nmaster, Rotimi Amaechi while he was governor of the State?<\/p>\n
Apparently, it is very evident\u00a0 in his incoherent and disjointed
\nexpressions of the press statement that Professor Henry Ugboma’s claim
\nthat aside the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC,
\nother statutory boards including board of internal revenue,\u00a0 local
\ngovernment service commission, post primary school board, others were
\nalmost non-existent in\u00a0 the State, are only uttered out of the figment
\nof his imagination.<\/p>\n
For emphasis, Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has demonstrated clear
\nvisionary leadership since he became governor in 2015 till date. He has
\ndemonstrated transparency and prudent management of resources which has
\nenabled him achieve so much in the overall development of Rivers State
\nto the shame of the opposition led by his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi
\nwho had earlier told the world that he (Wike) would not be able to pay
\nsalaries talk less of executing projects. Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike
\nhas proven beyond any doubt that he is a man of integrity who can be
\ntrusted with the mandate of the people of Rivers State and beyond. At
\nevery given opportunity, Wike has never minced words by saying “I will
\nnot abandon any project for my successor.”<\/p>\n
Amieyeofori Ibim,
\nSpecial Assistant (Media) to Honourable Commissioner for Information and
\nCommunications, Rivers State.<\/p>\n
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”\u00a0…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":79303,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-79302","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-opinions"],"yoast_head":"\n