Headline: I told Buhari I’ll tackle cultism, insecurity

The RIVERS State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, on Monday, opened up on his meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Wike said he told the President that his administration would tackle cultism and insecurity in the four local government areas of the state.

President Buhari on May 16, 2016 had a closed-door meeting with the Rivers State governor.

Though not much was heard about the outcome of the meeting, Wike said in Port Harcourt during a town hall meeting tagged, “Accounting for Governor Nyesom Wike’s Administration: One Year After,” that measures had been put in place to tackle the problem of insecurity.

Wike said he told the President that his administration would combat insecurity in Abua/Odual, Ahoada-East, Ahoada-West and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government areas.

“Measures have been put in place to tackle cultism across the state. When I met with the President, I told him that we would tackle cultism and insecurity in the four local government areas.

“They are Abua/Odual, Ahoada-East, Ahoada-West and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government areas,” the governor emphasised.

The governor declared that his administration had stabilised the economy of Rivers State with the strategic release of funds for the payment of salaries and release of funds for key projects.

Wike explained that he started with the rehabilitation of infrastructure in the Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor local government areas because both towns were supporting a majority of the population of the state.

The governor also assured the people of the state that his government would execute a key project in each of the 23 local government councils of the state, stressing that no local government area would be denied the impact of good governance.

He also said no project would be abandoned by his administration, promising that his administration would only award projects that would be completed within its lifespan.

He said, “We have stabilised the economy of Rivers State since we took over the reins of leadership in the state.

“We achieved the stabilisation of the economy by injecting N151bn as salaries and payment of contractors. These funds have helped us to rebuild our economy, which was badly damaged by the immediate past administration.”

He said the renewal of infrastructures in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor local government areas had enhanced the economy of the state as more investors had become confident to invest in the state.

The governor noted that 46 roads had been reconstructed under the “Operation Zero Potholes” while 15 roads abandoned by the immediate past administration were completed.