By Simeon Nwakaudu
The struggle for placement in the APC can be so demeaning. It places a horrible burden on former PDP members who are expected to lie profusely to be considered worthy of the dark era of the failed APC. That is the situation that Mr Austin Tam-George has found himself.
His second Meaningless Janjaweed Epistle is no different from the first. He raised similar issues while continuing with his blasphemy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Former Rivers State Information Commissioner discussed security and the challenges of security in Rivers State. Expectedly, he struggled in futility to blame Governor Wike for his involvement of Traditional Rulers, Stakeholders and Rivers Youths in the tackling of security challenges in the state.
But the truth is that this innovative approach has yielded fruits across the state. Several Traditional Rulers, Community Leaders and Youth Groups are working to stem the tide of criminality in the localities. For these efforts, Governor Wike has supported these communities.
A few weeks ago, Traditional Rulers and Political Leaders of Ekpeye Land worked with the Rivers State Government to ensure that about 200 youths renounce cultism. These youths were taken to the Rivers State Police Command where they were legally binded over. The process of rehabilitation is already ongoing. Similar programmes took place in Emohua, Ikwerre and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas.
But most important is the fact that Governor Wike initiated the Rivers State Neighbourhood Safety Corps to assist in fighting crime and criminality across Rivers State. This Agency backed by a law of the Rivers State House of Assembly has recruited over 2000 operatives. These operatives started their training programme at the NYSC Camp in Tai Local Government Area before the Nigerian Army under the instruction of the APC Federal Government invaded the training centre and stopped the exercise. Tam-George and his political party hailed the Nigerian Army as they insisted that the Rivers State Government should not be allowed to develop a sound security system.
Today, the Rivers State Government has continued to work towards ensuring that the Rivers State Neighbourhood Safety Corps kicks off operations in all the 23 Local Government Areas of the State. These operatives will assist the regular security agencies with required intelligence to fight crime in the state.
In furtherance of his commitment to security, Governor Wike on Wednesday announced that his Administration has concluded plans to launch a new comprehensive security architecture, which will promote security across the state.
He said ahead of the launch of the new security architecture, his administration recently donated 50 Patrol Vans to the Police, while other security services also received security vans from the Rivers State Government. The Governor added that the administration procured gunboats for the Nigerian Navy, while modern security Communication Centres have been established in all the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.
Before Tam-George fell into darkness, he was party to the donation of over 300 patrol vehicles, communication systems, gunboats and other logistical support to the Nigerian Police, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Civil Defence and other para-military agencies.
On the issue of Contributory Pension Scheme inherited from the Amaechi Administration, Governor Wike initiated the amendment of the extant law to pave way for payment.
In fulfilment of the pledge made by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike after he signed into law, the Rivers State Pension Reform Law (No 4 of 2019), the Rivers State Government has commenced the payment of pensioners under the Contributory Pension Scheme. 800 Pensioners under the scheme who have completed their biometrics have been paid.
Further biometric capture of other Pensioners under the scheme has been scheduled by the State Government in line with the directive of Governor Wike
Let me take the liberty to quote Tam-George in an interview with Pulse in August 2016. Tam-George said: “The Wike government inherited the most abandoned projects in the history of Rivers State, since 1967. It also inherited four months of unpaid salaries for civil servants, six months of unpaid pensions; there were eight months of salary arrears for other categories of staff, including teachers, 11 months of unpaid salaries for staff of the state football clubs. Most importantly, Governor Wike inherited an empty treasury and billions of Naira of debt.But within three months of his government, Governor Wike cleared all outstanding salary arears and pensions. We have never failed to meet our salary or pension obligations since this administration began.” https://www.pulse.ng/news/local/nyesom-wike-governor-has-transformed-rivers-state-tam-george/ry8e90m
I am surprised that Tam-George still talked about pension when he knows what Governor Wike did to stabilise the pension and salary scheme in the state. But joining a congregation of liars can negatively impact a weak fellow.
Governor Wike has done a fantastic job in the education sector. The Education Reform of the Administration has been quite successful. From basic to tertiary education, schools have been revived, reconstructed and repositioned for learning. In all the 23 Local Government Areas, over 400 basic education and secondary schools have been positively impacted.
For the less privileged, Governor Wike has abolished education fees and charges for basic education schools across the state. These fees were inherited from the failed immediate past Amaechi Administration in the state. Governor Wike has also bankrolled JAMB UTME fees for all Candidates in Rivers State. This will cost the state about N400million annually.
Without equivocation, Rivers State is the best performing state under this dispensation. It is the envy of all states of the Federation. It is for this reason that the immediate past Rivers State Governor continues to recruit weak minds to propagate lies against the state did de-market it. This desperation has remained at ground zero because Rivers people are happy with the rewarding leadership that Governor Wike avails them.
For every lie concocted by the likes of Tam-George, we have the truth to enlighten the public. Tam-George must realise that Nigeria has gone beyond the 2014/2015 era when APC liars misled Nigerians. Today, APC lie merchants have been relegated. Here in Rivers State, the truth is that we have the best performing Governor in Nigeria.
