The Federal Government has restated its resolve to continually support the developmental initiative of state governments in Nigeria.
This was known on Saturday by Mr. Babatunde Fashola, the Minister for Works and Housing, at the commissioning of the the 969.4-metre long `Rebisi Dual Carriage Flyover Bridge’ in Port Harcourt, Rivers.
Fahola also said that the federal government “is not in competition with any state’’ of the federation,
According to him, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s mandate “is to complement the state governments’’ and serve the people and residents of Nigeria.
The minister also pointed out that the federal government’s refund to states on federal roads was done `across party lines’.
According to him, the Rivers government is yet to receive the N78 billion refunds on federal roads because the process has to pass through the National Assembly.
Fashola also commended the Rivers government for initiating the construction of five flyovers in the state including the flag off of Rebisi flyover for traffic.
“What I witnessed today is a massive urban regeneration and urban renewal in Rivers state. I commend the people and government of this state for radical commitment to urban renewal,’’ he said.
Fashola expressed the hope that the status of Port Harcourt as a tourism hub, garden City would be maintained, adding that the federal government was doing its best to complete the Enugu-Aba Road.
He also assured that the federal government would complete the construction of the more than N120 billion Bodo-Bonny Road in the state.
Also Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers said that the construction of five flyovers within a year by his administration remained a record in Nigeria.
According to him, Rivers government flagged off simultaneously the construction of three in the state.
Wike, who said that the opening of the Rebisi flyover for road users gave him the pleasure that he fulfilled the promise made to the people of Rivers, added that he would soon construct the sixth flyover in the state.
He urged the people of Rivers to join his administration in thanking tye minister and President Buhari’s administration, for “what they have done for Rivers state’’ so far.
Wike, who said that “what is right is right and what needs to be done needs to be done’’, also commended the Rebisi flyover builders, Julius Berger, Nigeria Plc, “for fulfilling its commitment’’ to deliver, `even under COVID-19’ pandemic.
He said the state government had paid compensation to those affected by the construction of the flyover, adding that he expected that areas where the flyover is located to be kept clean always.
The governor warned that he the state government would not tolerate illegal trading or markets in the areas traversed by the facility.
According to Wike, the state government will, through enactment of an Executive Order, acquire the property of any landlord who flouted the order.
