By: Felix Ikpotor
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has threatened to dethrone traditional rulers from Ahoada area of the state if they continue to sell job opportunities meant for indigenes.
Wike stated this while flagginng off Phase 1 of the dualization of Ahoada -Omoku Road on Wednesday.
He expressed dismay that some traditional rulers in the area could be involved in such act for selfish reasons.
He said, “I cannot bring development to this place and criminality will be on the increase. We want companies to come to Ahoada but how will you get employment without companies? Every day, you cry about unemployment when the few companies that have come, you’ll not allow them to stay. You and your traditional rulers will chase them away with your demands.
“You even sell chances of employing your own people. Woe betides that traditional ruler that I will catch one day, that is selling what belongs to (his) your people because you want to collect money, I will dethrone that traditional ruler that day.”
Wike in his address, directed everyone that erected illegal structures along the Ahoada-Elele Alimini axis of the road to quit because every standing structure at those places will be brought down with effect from Wednesday, 9th June 2021.
Wike said that although the Ahoada-Omoku road ought to be a Federal Government project, the State government cannot sit and watch its citizens suffer. According to him, work is rapidly in progress on the Egbema-Omoku section of the road.
Also flagging off the commencement of construction works at the Ahoada Campus of Rivers State University, Governor Wike ordered the demolition of all illegal market structures erected along the Elele Alimini and Ahoada axis on the East-West Road.
“Let me tell you, the state government has not authorized any market from that Ahoada Junction on East-West Road, keeping to your right and going back to Port Harcourt. Everything there are illegal structure.
“It doesn’t matter who owns them. Whether you come from the South, East, West, or North, if you have any of those illegal market structures, from that junction down to Elele Alimini, I’ll bring all of them down.
“I did not authorize any market and nobody can build market on the road. Not even a local government can do that. So, all of you who have been going to them to collect tolls from them, be prepared. No market must be on the East-West Road.”
He further warned those who built private residences within the Western Ahaoda County High School, Ahoada to await the demolition team from the state government on Wednesday 9th June 2021 as they are trespassing on Government property.
“I have warned you severally and most of you think that nothing will happen. From next week’s Wednesday, anybody that has a private residence built within the Western Ahoada County High School, I will bring it down. The land belongs to the government and we will not pay any compensation.”
He also warned a notorious criminal known as ‘Comasi’, terrorizing the entire Ahoada axis, to note that hai time is up as he cannot continue to take lives and go unpunished.
Flagging off the event, Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche described the event as historic, noting that what matters in politics is the sense of value the people enjoy.
He added that politics is bad when it is about putting people down instead of lifting them up while describing that the project as a sign of the Governor’s love for Ekpeye people.
Similarly, while performing the flag-off of the Ahoada Campus of Rivers State University, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Joseph Ajienka commended Governor Wike for using the multi-campus system to drive educational and community development that will also create access to education.
He enjoined the governor to transform the State University into an entrepreneurial institution, where the products of teaching and researches will be developed to provide ready employment.
“I want to thank you for bringing the campus of the university to Ahaoda. Like I hinted, universities today have gone beyond teaching and research to entrepreneurship.
“The operators of universities today are able to transform the products of research into goods and services to contribute to the development of start-up companies to employ more people to develop the economy.
“I will plead that for the remaining part of your tenure, try and transform the Rivers State University to an entrepreneurial university.”
The project is to be handled by Julius Berger Plc
