Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has told his newly inaugurated commissioners that his administration will do proper handover to his successor unlike his predecessor and former Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi.
The Governor also described as an aberration the appointment of someone without requisite intellectual acumen to represent the state as a Minister in the Federal Executive Council.
Odum Odi, who hails from the state was recently named the Minister of State for Environment to replace Amaechi, who resigned as the Transport Minister to contest the presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike spoke on Saturday after inaugurating five new commissioners at the Executive Chamber of Government House in Port Harcourt.
He said: “I have never seen an embarrassment like like that in my life. Yes, you must appoint those who are loyal but educated people are also loyal. It has never happened in our State. Everything cannot be politics. The image of the State is key.”
The Governor tasked commissioners, heads of ministries, departments and agencies to begin compilation of relevant information required to document the successes of his administration from 2015.
Wike said he was determined to do a proper handover to his successor “despite the fact that his predecessor did not do a proper handover to him”.
The commissioners are Deinma Iyalla, Special Projects; Prof. Prince Chinedu Mmom; Education; Boma Iyaye, Local Government Affairs; Christopher Green, Sports and Burabe Anea-Bari Donald, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs.
Wike said his administration was in its last lap and there was a need for the different ministries to begin compiling records of their activities in lieu of handing over day.
He said: “Everybody should as a matter of fact put the records of their various ministries together. You won’t wait till May 29, 2023.
“You have to start now since this administration started in 2015. State what we have done, and by the grace of God, when the new person (governor) comes, he will have a handover note and it will not be like me who didn’t get a handover note.
“Everything we have done, all the records. What we have bought from ministry to ministry, you have to start compiling them. I don’t want to hear a situation where you will say there is no time, there is plenty of time. You don’t need to wait till the last day. That is why things are difficult for some people.”
Wike told the newly sworn-in commissioners that his administration was in its finishing stage and so much was required of them to ensure a good ending.
He urged them to serve the state with incontestable passion, demonstrate competence and leave an indelible imprint in their various ministries.
The governor acknowledged that some of them had served the state in different capacity as former commissioners and special adviser and urged them to utilise the present opportunity to further contribute to the development of Rivers.
He said: “It is not how long that you stayed in office that can make the difference. It is the passion and commitment that you give to it. You can be in office for six months and people will see your impact, and your impact will be known. But if you cannot do it within that period, even if they allowed you to stay ten years, you may not also be able to carry it out.”
Wike said his administration had completed more projects and would begin their inaugurations early August 2022.