Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State on Tuesday declared that the state was in deep debt left by the government of his predecessor, Minister of the Federal Capital Teritory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike.
Fubara made the disclosure during the commissioning of a road project in the state. He noted that despite the pressure and attacks from his predecessor, he was determined to serve the people of the state. He, however, said that he was ready to face the future of governance in the oil-rich state irrespective of the activities of his political traducers.
He said: “My story as a person will not be complete if Eleme is not mentioned, that is the truth. Maybe, if I have not started from Eleme, I will not get to Level 14
“At least I started here before I got to Level 14.
“And for the records, this contract was awarded to CCECC on the 14th of August 2023 not by “I” but by this administration and as we go further, we will be going with a White Paper showing the record and amounts this project was awarded.
“This project was awarded at N6.7bn and I can say boldly no kobo is remaining, we have paid the contractor completely without owing. The purpose of this is to let the world know that if there is one problem this administration has it is debts.
“Most of the projects commissioned (by the last administration), the contractors are still coming for their balance payments running into millions and billions. I have said I don’t want to talk because I am part of that system but when they keep pushing me, I will say it so that we will see the nyansh of the fowl.
“But let us leave that one until when they are ready, we will also be ready. The small one we are doing now, they are not sleeping, I wonder what will happen when we do the big on
“The Problem we have is accumulated debts from the past government.”
Governor Fubara also said he invited his Abia State counterpart, Alex Otti to commission the project, stating that he is committed to aligning with progressive figures.
Otti, on his part, described Fubara’s style of governance as true leadership, adding that true leadership is service to the people, and not to a few interests.
In his summation, Otti believes Governor Fubara cannot be distracted by the political crisis in Rivers State