Douglas Blessing, Port Harcourt
The immediate past governor of Rivers State, Barr Nyesom Wike has flag-off the Port Harcourt ring road, transversing six local government areas of the state.
Performing the flag-off at UTC junction in Port Harcourt, Wike commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for the courage and political will to embark on the landmark project.
He described Fubara as a man of few words but with the utmost capacity to deliver great development to the people of Rivers State.
Wike recalled how the administration he served as Chief-of-Staff, had set money aside but could not muster the political will as demonstrated by Fubara’s government to kick-start the project barely weeks after assuming office.
Meanwhile, governor Fubara has said that the inherent individual differences occasioned by the diverse ethnic groupings notwithstanding, the Port Harcourt Ring Road will serve as a bold effort taken in connecting Rivers people together and fostering greater unity among them.
Governor Fubara pointed out that other previous administrations have attempted to execute the project but could not, he commended former Nyesom Wike for initiating the ‘New Rivers Vision’ that is serving as the building template to the radical development of the State as being consolidated by his administration.
According to him: “Today, we are here to put mortar to brick to that contract signing. Some of you had doubts when we signed the contract whether we will start it. But we did not just sign it, we have paid for it and we are here to commence the job.
The importance of this road is not just connecting Eleme to Etche, Etche to Ikwerre local government areas but connecting our people.”
Fubara, who emphasised that there is no meaningful development without road accessibility, urged the various communities that the project will traverse to cooperate with the contractor without sabotaging it. He assured them of timely payment of determined compensations.
On his part, the Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dr. George-Kelly Alabo explained that the Port Harcourt Ring Road project is 50.15km long and has varied widths of between 7.6m and 29.2m where there are service lanes with 6 flyovers and one river crossing bridge.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Dr. Lars Ritcher applauded the Rivers State Government for embarking on the Ring Road project which will be quite significant to the collective prosperity of the people.
He added that the project is a shining example of modern infrastructural development designed to connect people to communities and to opportunities.
