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… Says priority should be welfare of the people
As the political crisis ravaging Rivers State rages on, Gov Sim Fubara has reminded the Nyesom Wike-backed 27 lawmakers that they too were duty bound to obey the Supreme Court orders.
Gov Fubara who was locked out by the lawmakers on Wednesday and prevented from presenting the state’s budget as ordered by the apex court reminded the lawmakers that the rulings were made for the interest of Rivers State and that they too had a duty by accepting the budget from him.
The lawmakers led by Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, had shunned an invitation by the governor’s invitation to the seat of power for a meeting to work out how to work together henceforth. The lawmakers had frowned at the invitation letter signed by the secretary to the state government.
Now, the governor signed another letter asking them to grant him passage to come lay the 2025 budget, but the lawmakers said they did not get the letter despite according to the governor to get the letter to the Clerk of the House who allegedly said he was not available.
Read also: Gov Fubara opens up: ‘How I was stopped from presenting Rivers 2025 budget’
When the governor attempted to attend the sitting of the lawmakers at the Assembly quarters where their faction sits, the gates were all locked.
Now, Gov Fubara says the other party to the Supreme Court judgment needed to know that they were also to comply with the ruling, and do so with commitment that prioritised the interest of the State.
The governor maintained that such resolve must engender collective action towards achieving peace in the State because it would serve as the potent medium through which all the arms of government would function properly while creating public goods that benefit everyone.
Gov Fubara who spoke at the inauguration of the 85-year-old Okrika Grammar School in Okrika Local Government Area on Thursday, March 13, 2025, emphasised that without an enduring peace, sustainable development would be hampered practically, while the sense of security, respect, tolerance, stability, and well-being to pursue goals will suffer.
The Governor said: “The Supreme Court has made its judgment, we don’t have any option than to abide by it.
“And, by the special grace of God, we have started the process. We are appealing to other parties to consider the interest of Rivers State. The only thing that we owe this State is peace and development. I am open any day, any time for total peace in our State, because if I have to govern well, there is need for peace to prevail.”
Commenting on the project, Gov Fubara recalled how the planning committee of the 20th Anniversary of the Diocese of Okrika Anglican Communion visited and appealed to him to give the school, dilapidated for a long time, a facelift.
“So, we immediately keyed into it, and to the glory of God, we are here today to unveil one of the things that we have done, even in the face of these situations confronting our administration, which we didn’t bring upon ourselves. But we give God all the glory.”
The Rivers State Governor assured the leadership of the Anglican Church in the area of commitment to attend to the shore protection concerns expressed by the bishop to safeguard the school. He also urged the Old Boys to take up some projects in the school.
Providing the project description, Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Ovy Orluideye Chukwuma, pointed to the massive re-modelling and reconstruction work achieved, which he said has restored the cherished glory of Okrika Grammar School to confirm the commitment of Governor Fubara to quality education of children. “The project consists of an Administrative Block, 24 Classroom Blocks, Laboratory, ICT Library Block, Assembly Hall, 100-bed male hostel, 100-bed female hostel, kitchen and dinning hall, and many other facilities including solar-powered streetlights, principal’s quarters, and sports facilities.”
Chukwuma also said: “There is road network and landscaping of about 1.8kilometers with 1.5kilometer drainage, interlocking connecting buildings, completed road pavements and parking lots, water supply to all the buildings within the compound.
“There is also furnishing and equipping of the entire 14 structures with standard students’ desks, hostel beds, quality and standard furniture, electronics such as 86 air conditioning, both inverter and 1.5 horsepower and 75 smart television sets, 60 computer sets and standard science laboratory.”
In her welcome address, Head of Local Government Administration, Okrika Local Government Area, Obianime Appollos, said the Okrika Grammar School in Okrika, established in 1940, had remained an iconic institution known for academic excellence, and thanked Gov Fubara for re-modelling structures and restoring the status of the institution after years of neglect of all facilities.
