Rivers State says it would begin early implementation of its 2016 budget of N307 billion, following its prompt passage by the Rivers State House of Assembly and assent by Governor Nyesom Wike.
The budget, which was presented, passed and assented to in 24 hours, according to Governor Wike, targets to engender enhanced development of road infrastructure across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He said critical access roads in strategic towns of the state were targeted for construction with a view to developing the state’s economy.
Over N53 billion is provided for the infrastructure development sub-sector. The Rivers economy has taken the biggest bashing ever in over four years, following the 2015 electoral permutations, crystallising in pockets of violence in parts of the state.
Strong ideological disagreements between two of the political parties – the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) often kept the people on edge – with businesses and investments ironically taking the back seat.
But Governor Wike has assured he would drive a people-oriented budget in 2016, having received a much-desired ‘go-ahead stamp’ from the state Assembly. This the lawmakers did in a markedly unusual legislative volte-face.
Commenting further on the 2016 budget, Wike said all construction of roads infrastructure was geared towards empowering the people.
He said: “the provision of transport infrastructure is critical to the socio-economic advancement of any nation. Accordingly, in 2016 we intend to complete all on-going road projects and kick-start the construction of the Trans-Kalabari road network, the dualisation of Ahoada – Omoku road, as well as Bori Sapkenwa Road.”
He also informed that he would continue with construction of inner city roads in Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor and the headquarters of other local government areas.
The governor stressed that his ongoing sustained renewal of the state’s roads infrastructure will ensure that the headquarters of different local government areas are accessible by road, to enhance the transportation of agricultural produce from the hinterlands and bolster other economic activities in all the council headquarters.
Roads construction has seen marked improvement in Port-Harcourt municipality, Obio-Akpor, Eleme, Ikwerre and Oyigbo local government areas in the governor’s first phase of urban renewal programme in the last seven months.
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