Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, says no government should use COVID-19 as an excuse not to invest in infrastructural development that can foster economic development and prosperity.
Governor Wike made this assertion during a facility tour of the ultramodern Government House hospital and Administrative building in Port Harcourt by the Senate Chief Whip and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
He said Rivers State will not join the league of States that hide under the guise of COVID-19 pandemic to deny their people basic infrastructure like roads which is universally acknowledged as a major contributor to higher economic productivity, growth, and trade.
“Covid-19 cannot be an excuse to any government. COVID -19 is a bad thing, but it has come. It will go whether we like it or not. But people will also be alive. Infrastructure must be provided, so you can’t say because of COVID 19 nothing will be done. At the time COVID 19 ends, what will the people be facing? Lack of basic infrastructure. So, because of COVID19, I am not going to be doing anything? I am not a party to that. I will continue to work whether there is COVID-19 or not.”
Governor Wike explained his administration has conscientiously been investing in high-quality infrastructure that has positive economic value that can stimulate job creation, boost foreign direct investment in the State.
He stated that in the midst of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, the State government on Wednesday approved two additional flyovers at the cost of N 12.4 billion to Julius Berger.
According to him, investment in these projects have been made possible because of the government’s judicious application of State resources to meet the pressing needs of the people.
“You manage whatever you have for the interest of the people. Infrastructure brings investments. Part of the problem we have in this country today is the decay of infrastructure. We don’t have it and that also affects investment inflow.
“So, when these roads are there, you will see people will come in. You don’t expect a private investor to begin to do road for you. It is not possible.
“You want to do agriculture, there is no road. How can we do agriculture when there is no road. How will the product be brought to the city, to the market? So, you must provide this basic infrastructure for investment inflow and that is what we are doing.”