Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has, again, made history by being the first governor in post-civil war Rivers to take a bold, practical step towards returning Ahaoda to its former status of an economically viable town.
The Rivers Governor, on Thursday, commissioned the Odiokwu internal roads, at Ahaoda West Local Government Area of the State.
The network of roads is expected to boost economic activities in Odiokwu Community in particular and Ahaoda Town at large, as every nook and cranny of the community, including farmlands and schools, are linked in the road network.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Governor Nyesom Wike said there were no good roads in Odiokwu when he visited the community in 1999.
He expressed joy that Odiokwu had now been transformed given the development attracted to the place.
He stated that the most important thing in governance is the development of an area and not sharing of money to the people.
“It’s not to give people money. There’s no amount of money you can give to people that will go round. What is important is that you have been able to attract development to the area.
“Now, look at Odiokwu. I’ve given you water, I’ve given you health center, I’ve given you internal roads – 10 kilometers of roads as one ward. If all the wards have 10 km of road, Rivers State will be something else.
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“When I came to marry my wife here, I’m sure a plot of land here was N30,000. Today, I hear it’s not less than N1 million,” he said.
Governor Wike said those saying he had not done anything for the people of Ahaoda and Ekpeye were not being sincere, insisting he had done so much for them.
“As a governor, I’ve given Ekpeye people everything in their traditional institution. This is the first time Ekpeye people are having not less than five first classes. They have never had it before. They only had one. Where were you before? Where are you today?” he said.
He berated those he gave the contract to build a government secondary school in Ahoada West and they abandoned it even though he paid 100percent for the project.
He however promised to complete the project, adding that he would not abandon his people.
Governor of Sokoto State and Special Guest of Honour at the event, Aminu Tambuwal, acknowledged that the road projects in Odiokwu had the terrain of the community.
He said good governance was not dependent on having resources but on managing them efficiently, a feat he said Governor Nyesom Wike had achieved.
“It’s not about money, it’s not about having resources; it’s about managing them efficiently, effectively, and to the benefit of the people. That’s exactly what Governor Wike has done for Rivers State. It’s all about good governance and we must celebrate good governance,” Tambuwal said.
He said he was happy to come and commission the internal roads built for Odiokwu people by Governor Wike.
“I’m happy to be here and to commission this all-important project in this very special town. Odiokwu is no longer a village. This is a city. How many cities, villages, or towns have 10 kilometres of tarred roads with 20km of drains on both sides? How many of them have the level of the things we have seen?
“How many of them have a university campus? How many of them have the level and calibre of schools we have seen? This is a city and I congratulate the great people of Odiokwu for attaining this feat,” he stated.
Earlier in his welcome address, Hope Ikiriko, chairman of Ahoada Local Government Area, thanked Governor Nyesom Wike for transforming Ahaoda by upgrading Odiokwu into a city.
“If people can boast of any city, we can boast of Odiokwu City,” the Ahoada West Chairman said, noting that the governor had, through his massive projects that include flyovers, turned Rivers into a world-class city.
He called on Governor Wike to accept his people’s call to run for the presidency in 2023.
Ikiriko stressed: “There is no other person to lead this country than your humble self Your Excellency.”
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