The bitter animosity between the governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike and his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi may have affected the multi-billion naira monorail project embarked upon by the Amaechi’s administration.
Governor Wike, while speaking on a national television programme, on Monday, said the people of the state did not want the continuation of the project.
Wike explained that in spite of his administration’s commitment to the completion of the projects abandoned by the Rotimi Amaechi administration, the monorail would not be one of such projects.
He said, “Rivers people have told me not to touch the monorail project left behind by the other government.”
Wike said that his administration had taken measures to improve the security of the state through funding of security interventions and provision of logistics for security agencies.
The governor lamented that the state had been affected by the regular transfer of security chiefs from the state, blaming Amaechi for the development.
“I won’t make a promise that I will not fulfill. I don’t politicise development. My interest is to deliver the best for Rivers people.
“In spite of distractions, we have succeeded in completing many projects abandoned by the previous government. We also have cleared the backlog of unpaid salaries and pensions left by the previous government.
“We have succeeded in restoring the judiciary and reopening courts shut down by the previous government. The Federal Government needs to allow security chiefs remain in Rivers State to do their jobs and ease tensions.
“I have had over three Commissioners of Police removed since I became governor,” Wike, who lamented the death of a corps member in the state recently, added.
However, reacting to the position of Wike on the monorail project, the immediate-past state Commissioner for Transport, Tolofari George, said, “The monorail is a laudable project that should be continued because it is a catalyst to jump-start our local economy and place Rivers State at the forefront of transport infrastructural development.
“The vision is to take the monorail up to the airport in future traversing the city. A lot of River’s taxpayers’ monies have been sunk into that project that it should not be allowed to die. But Wike has chosen to play politics with that project and it is most unfortunate.”
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