RIVERS State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said that his administration from the outset prioritised laying a solid foundation for the state through the provision of quality social services and delivery of infrastructure that could engender socio-economic growth.
He said it was time to focus on the welfare of the people which he termed stomach infrastructure.
The governor spoke at the inauguration of the Oro-Abali Flyover at the Kaduna Street Junction along the Port Harcourt -Aba Expressway in Port Harcourt, on Tuesday.
The governor’s media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, stated this in a statement made available to newsmen.
Having spent the better part of his administration in working to provide physical infrastructure, Wike said it was time he focused on the welfare of the people.
He said, “Now that we have done virtually everything we have promised Rivers people, this is the time now we have to play politics of stomach infrastructure.
“What people do not understand; people think when you are in government, from the first day, you should be sharing money. I said I won’t do that.
“I have to work for the people of the state. Now that we have worked, the remaining period will be to feed your stomach.”
Wike said the people’s welfare was an important aspect of governance because it entails the empowerment of the people economically.
“There is time for everything. Now, the time has come. We have to start to empower our people. The empowerment is for those who have been patient.
“So, every local government, every community will have a pattern of how we are to empower our people. As a government, when there is unemployment, some people bring out what they called a welfare scheme to be able to cushion the level of poverty in the society. That is what we are going to apply here,” he stated.
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