We ‘Ll Send Anti-Open Grazing Law To Rivers Assembly, Says Wike

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has promised to give the ban
on open grazing in the state a legal backing by sending the
required bill to the House of Assembly.

The governor said his administration settled for an anti-open
grazing bill to protect the people of the state.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Isaiah Odoli/Omerelu Streets
in New GRA Phase 1 in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area on
Wednesday, Wike said the proposed bill was in harmony with the
resolution of the Southern governors.

He said: “You can’t go to the farm anymore, those who rear
cattle, they’ll not allow your crops to grow. Let me say clearly,
now that the House of Assembly has come back, we have to submit the
bill on Anti-Open Grazing as we agreed in the Southern Governors
Forum.

“So, that everybody must understand it, it’s clear, without any
hesitation, we must do it to protect our farms, to protect our
women, to protect our youths, so that nobody will go and kill
them.

“The exchange rate has now got to N510 to a Dollar. When they
took over, it was N150 to a Dollar. They said they’ll give
employment. Do we have employment today? Are your children
employed?”

Wike said Nigeria was on life support and required prayers from
the citizens to salvage the county.

He said: “Since APC came into power, you can now see what
Nigeria has turned to. Each day you wake up, you hear people are
being killed. If you watch television and read the news on
newspapers, you will hear so and so number are killed or kidnapped
in so and so state.

“That is not what I thought all of us needed. The country is on
oxygen (life support). Nobody knows what will happen next. As we
are today, Nigeria is in dire need of help. Nigeria needs prayers;
to our mothers and sisters, you must kneel down and pray to God to
salvage this country.”

Wike also said the APC-led federal government had not done
anything in Rivers state for the people describing as untrue the
claim by the federal government that it was jointly executing the
Bonny-Bodo road.

He said: “The only thing they are arguing now is that they are
doing Bonny-Bodo Road. No, with due respect, that’s no correct.
That road was supposed to be done by NLNG and the federal
government. NLNG brought their N60 million, federal Government did
not bring any Kobo.

“Now they are trying to use the tax that NLNG is supposed to pay
to do the road. The tax would have been shared from the federation
account and part of the money would have come to Rivers State. So,
federal government cannot say that they’re the one doing Bonny
-Bodo road. All of us are jointly doing the road.”

The governor noted that every road in the Old and New GRAs had
been rehabilitated under the Urban Renewal Programme of his
administration except the Orugbum Crescent in the new GRA.

Inaugurating the road project, former Senate President, Senator
David Mark, said Rivers people were fortunate to have a governor,
who fulfillled promises.

Mark said: “All the year round, you are bringing people to come
and commission project here like me. (Rivers) Now, you have a
governor who has fulfilled his promises and done beyond his
promises.

“The difference between him and just providing infrastructure is
very clear. He provides his own with human face. There’s humility
in what he’s doing.

“If you get up today and said Rivers State, this is where we are
going, everybody will follow. If you go round Rivers State; and I’m
sure all of you know this, and they say who is the leader of
politics in Rivers State, they will tell you it is your
governor.”

In his speech, Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Elloka
Tasie-Amadi said the streets prior to reconstruction, were narrow
and had a good number of potholes.

He said: “Today on Omerelu street, we have a 12 meters wide
reconstructed road with 1960 meters of drains and an 8 meters wide
road on Isaiah Odoli St.

“Both have streetlights and road markings for good traffic
management. Aside from the fact that these improvements will ease
commute, reduce travel time, reduce vehicle wear and tear, enhance
real estate values, make buildings and businesses in the area more
attractive to patrons, enhance security, support better living
standards to mention just a few benefits.”

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has promised to give the ban
on open grazing in the state a legal backing by sending the
required bill to the House of Assembly.

The governor said his administration settled for an anti-open
grazing bill to protect the people of the state.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Isaiah Odoli/Omerelu Streets
in New GRA Phase 1 in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area on
Wednesday, Wike said the proposed bill was in harmony with the
resolution of the Southern governors.

He said: “You can’t go to the farm anymore, those who rear
cattle, they’ll not allow your crops to grow. Let me say clearly,
now that the House of Assembly has come back, we have to submit the
bill on Anti-Open Grazing as we agreed in the Southern Governors
Forum.

“So, that everybody must understand it, it’s clear, without any
hesitation, we must do it to protect our farms, to protect our
women, to protect our youths, so that nobody will go and kill
them.

“The exchange rate has now got to N510 to a Dollar. When they
took over, it was N150 to a Dollar. They said they’ll give
employment. Do we have employment today? Are your children
employed?”

Wike said Nigeria was on life support and required prayers from
the citizens to salvage the county.

He said: “Since APC came into power, you can now see what
Nigeria has turned to. Each day you wake up, you hear people are
being killed. If you watch television and read the news on
newspapers, you will hear so and so number are killed or kidnapped
in so and so state.

“That is not what I thought all of us needed. The country is on
oxygen (life support). Nobody knows what will happen next. As we
are today, Nigeria is in dire need of help. Nigeria needs prayers;
to our mothers and sisters, you must kneel down and pray to God to
salvage this country.”

Wike also said the APC-led federal government had not done
anything in Rivers state for the people describing as untrue the
claim by the federal government that it was jointly executing the
Bonny-Bodo road.

He said: “The only thing they are arguing now is that they are
doing Bonny-Bodo Road. No, with due respect, that’s no correct.
That road was supposed to be done by NLNG and the federal
government. NLNG brought their N60 million, federal Government did
not bring any Kobo.

“Now they are trying to use the tax that NLNG is supposed to pay
to do the road. The tax would have been shared from the federation
account and part of the money would have come to Rivers State. So,
federal government cannot say that they’re the one doing Bonny
-Bodo road. All of us are jointly doing the road.”

The governor noted that every road in the Old and New GRAs had
been rehabilitated under the Urban Renewal Programme of his
administration except the Orugbum Crescent in the new GRA.

Inaugurating the road project, former Senate President, Senator
David Mark, said Rivers people were fortunate to have a governor,
who fulfillled promises.

Mark said: “All the year round, you are bringing people to come
and commission project here like me. (Rivers) Now, you have a
governor who has fulfilled his promises and done beyond his
promises.

“The difference between him and just providing infrastructure is
very clear. He provides his own with human face. There’s humility
in what he’s doing.

“If you get up today and said Rivers State, this is where we are
going, everybody will follow. If you go round Rivers State; and I’m
sure all of you know this, and they say who is the leader of
politics in Rivers State, they will tell you it is your
governor.”

In his speech, Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Elloka
Tasie-Amadi said the streets prior to reconstruction, were narrow
and had a good number of potholes.

He said: “Today on Omerelu street, we have a 12 meters wide
reconstructed road with 1960 meters of drains and an 8 meters wide
road on Isaiah Odoli St.

“Both have streetlights and road markings for good traffic
management. Aside from the fact that these improvements will ease
commute, reduce travel time, reduce vehicle wear and tear, enhance
real estate values, make buildings and businesses in the area more
attractive to patrons, enhance security, support better living
standards to mention just a few benefits.”