The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has called on governments to ramp up work on infrastructure, stating that COVID-19 should not be used as an “excuse” to not deliver.
He said this during the tour of the Government House Hospital and administrative building, Port Harcourt.
Wike also played host to the former governor of Abia State and current Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzoe Kalu.
He urged governments to continue to work despite the sting of the pandemic, adding that the people need “basic infrastructure”.
He said, “Covid-19 cannot be an excuse to any government. COVID -19 is a bad thing, but it has come. It will go whether we like it or not. But people will also be alive. Infrastructure must be provided, so you can’t say because of COVID 19 nothing will be done.
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“At the time COVID 19 ends, what will the people be facing? Lack of basic infrastructure. So, because of COVID19, I am not going to be doing anything? I am not a party to that. I will continue to work whether there is COVID-19 or not.”
Wike noted that his government had continued to develop infrastructure in his state that has impacted the state’s economy.
He said that the pandemic did not stop the state from approving two extra flyovers that gulped N12.4 billion and contracted to Julius Berger.
The governor said that the country suffers from a “decay” in infrastructure. He said that the lack of infrastructure is what has turned many businesses away, affecting investment inflow.
He said,“You manage whatever you have for the interest of the people. Infrastructure brings investments. Part of the problem we have in this country today is the decay of infrastructure. We don’t have it and that also affects investment inflow.
“So, when these roads are there, you will see people will come in. You don’t expect a private investor to begin to do road for you. It is not possible.
“You want to do agriculture, there is no road. How can we do agriculture when there is no road. How will the product be brought to the city, to the market? So, you must provide this basic infrastructure for investment inflow and that is what we are doing.”
