By Douglas Blessing, Port Harcourt
Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, Magnus Abe has assured that if elected in 2024 his administration will boost the economy of the state and create job opportunities.
Abe gave the assurance while addressing the mammoth crowd who staged one million-man march in his honour in Port Harcourt Polo Club in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital.
Abe stated that creation of opportunities for jobs are not through laws and fiats, said his administration will create an atmosphere through which Rivers people will make money.
The SDP governorship candidate said: “We have told you that since Trans-Amadi was built, no other industrial estate has been established in this state. We will establish another one.
“We have told you that given opportunities to our people to get jobs and employment is not something to be done by laws or by fiat. We will create an atmosphere through which Rivers people can make money.”
The SDP gubernatorial candidate who further declared that his party has grown to become the biggest political party in the state, said political parties are mere vehicles, pointing out that it is the people that make up the party.
He said: “Finally, I told you before that a political party is nothing but a vehicle. It is the people that make the party. Rivers people, today, you have made the SDP, the biggest political party in Rivers State. You have that power.
“All those other parties, because you were there, that was why they were big. Now that you are here, this one too is big. SDP is the biggest political party in Rivers State today.”
Sympathizing with the people of Orashi region of the state, over the devasting effect of the flood, Abe said if elected, his administration will find a lasting to the perennial challenge.
He said: “The other thing I want to say is that last week, we put off this programme because of the flooding in Orashi region. The whole Orashi region of Rivers State, everytime, gets flooded.
“We all know that these things are not man-made and everytime it happens, we appear totally unprepared. It is only a tree that you will tell that you get an axe and cut it down and it will still remain in that place.
“I want to assure Rivers people, we cannot stop water from coming if that is part of the water. But, there are several things we can do to prepare for things we know can haunt us down. We can dredge our rivers annually so that when the water rises, it can go down quickly. We can build canals to divert the water away from where people are living.
“If it becomes impossible, we can move people from where we know they cannot stay to places where they can stay. You know it is safer to relocate people; we have done it before. So, I want to assure our friends, our brothers, our sisters in the places that are flooded; yes, it may happen again, but, I want to assure you that it will never ever be this bad again.”
