By Akanimo Sampson
GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, one of the major oil and gas states in Southern Nigeria, appears to be running out of patience with the slow pace of work by government agencies.
Insiders told our correspondent on Monday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor wants government agencies to be more serious in service delivery.
To this end, government has directed the state Road Maintenance Agency to shore up their tempo of activities in the rehabilitation of 16 major roads in the state.
Wike who was confronted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a bid to oust him from office, is battling to present the electorate with an impressive report card this coming May 29, to mark the first anniversary of his governorship.
Already, his administration has critically examined all the roads being rehabilitated by the maintenance agency, and has reached a decision that the agency has to apply state resources judiciously.
Information and Communications Commissioner, Dr Austin Tam-George, has noted that government resolved that all efforts must be geared towards ensuring that the Rivers people get value for money expended.
Adding, he said, ”Governor Wike is emphasising on the need for our road maintenance agency to continue on the path of service by putting an end to bad roads in the state”.
In the mean time, government has announced a 10-member committee to coordinate the one year accountability report of the Wike administration with the directive that they are to produce relevant documentation backed by videos and pictorials of the state government’s interventions to revive the state.
The accountability documentation, according to the information commissioner, will be done on a sector to sector basis, because the people of the state are entitled to know know how the government they put in place is fairing.
