Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State says his administration remains focused despite inheriting 34 uncompleted projects valued at over N225.279 billion spread across 13 local government areas of the State.
He also disclosed that the Rivers State Government had awarded contracts for nine new road projects valued at N534.332 billion on his watch.
The Governor, who made these disclosures on Wednesday while presenting an account of his stewardship and/or scorecard to mark his administration’s one-year anniversary at Dr Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, also described as ‘vicious and existential’ the political crisis waged against the administration, barely three months from the 29th May 2023.
However, he assured the Rivers people that the worst days were over, with the administration successfully defending the rights and privileges to govern the state and advancing its progress in liberty and freedom without compromise.
According to him; “We started this journey with a bang. We were focused. We were determined to make the change we promised with a sense of urgency. But then, somehow, we suddenly found ourselves in the cesspit of crisis barely three months into our tenure. It was not just an ordinary political crisis.
“It was a vicious existential crisis. But thank goodness, the worst is over. We have successfully defended our rights and opportunity to govern our State and advance its progress in freedom, and we will continue to prevail.”
While noting that a lot had changed in the political landscape of Rivers State since then, Governor Fubara said there was no going back on the covenant taken a year ago to “put Rivers State first, defend its interest, and ensure that the people get the dividends of democracy and good governance.”
He said: “For us, any government worth its name must be accountable, responsive, and responsible for the security and well-being of the people. Having managed the affairs of our State for one year, including dispensing public resources, it is only proper that we render account with a public presentation of our performance record.
“I am, therefore, pleased to stand before you to present our Scorecard for the first year we have been in office as the Executive arm of the Government of Rivers State.”
The Governor said despite the unprecedented challenges, his first one year in office had witnessed significant achievements visible to everybody.
Specifically, the governor said the administration inherited a State, whose economy was declining despite its growth potential but that the negative narrative had changed for the better within his one year in the saddle
He said that with the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR)/Investment Advisory Committee that he chairs to coordinate activities in the sector had worked to increase the inflow of economic investments to the State.
Read him; “We also needed to attract investments into the State and increase our internally generated revenue base as too much reliance on federal allocations was a challenge to the realisation of our development goals. We, therefore, set up an IGR/Investment Advisory Committee, which is helping us to navigate our course for increased economic investments and internally generated revenue to accelerate economic growth, create jobs, and advance the welfare and well-being of our people.
“Our liberalised business-friendly economic policies and programmes are boosting confidence and attracting local and international investors and investments into the State, judging by the expression of interest offers we receive every month.”
Governor Fubara said; “We have kept our taxes low, frozen the imposing of taxes on small businesses across the State, and increased the ease of doing business in the State by eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks.”
He added: “No request for the signing of a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) remains in my office beyond two days, except if I am otherwise engaged beyond two days or out of town.”
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