To be delivered in 36 months
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Governor Siminialayi Fubara of Rivers State, has awarded a 50.1 kilometer Port Harcourt Ring Road project at the cost of N195.3 billion.
The contract was awarded to Julius Berger construction firm.
According to the immediate-past Governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, Fubara has already paid N150 billion of the contract sum.
Wike who disclosed this during the ground-breaking ceremony of the project Monday in Port Harcourt, described the project as historic.
He commended his successor for the laudable project which he said a former Governor he served under as a Chief of Staff, at a time banked N100 billion for the project but could not give account of it nor did he award the all-important road project.
“In 2007, 2008, one man was Governor at a time; in a month we got N100 billion. I was Chief of Staff.
“We put N100 billion in a bank; that we were going to do this road. Up till today there is no Ring Road.
“But today, a man one month in office has awarded a project of N195 billion and has paid N150 billion.
According to Wike, the historic road project will be delivered in 36 months.
He poured encomiums on the Governor for his courage to embark on such gigantic project but told him to brace up for attacks because of envy.
“Let me advise you, this good thing you are doing today attracts envy, attracts gang up against you.
“You will see a lot of gang-up against you amongst your peers, particularly in your region.”
“Instead of them to appreciate, they will be asking, what is he trying or show? Just like his predecessor did.’
“Don’t bother about those things. What you must bother about is what good you’ll do for your people.”
Wike boasted that no sitting Governor could match Fubara in landmark projects delivery under the current dispensation in the country.
“I challenge any state, any Governor today that will say he has the chest, the capacity to engage a reputable company like JB to award N195 billion single contract and pay N150 billion.
“When he will show you 100 days, Nigerians will be shocked.”
Wike said that he had no regrets supporting Fubara to be his successor.
