Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has appealed to the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and his Benue State counterpart, Gov. Samuel Ortom, to give a little thought to affected traders of the infernos that engulfed the popular Mile Three market and two other major markets within the Port Harcourt metropolis in February, which destroyed goods and properties running into millions and wrecked people’s sources of livelihoods.

Eze named the following as the affected markets:

1. Marine Base Timber market Port Harcourt, Fire outbreak

2.

Shops in Bishop Okoye Street, Mile Three Market Fire outbreak

3.Ogbumnabali Butcher Market fire outbreak

In a statement made available to media houses in Port Harcourt, Chief Eze said the appeal became necessary to stern the tide of public condemnation that trailed Gov. Wike’s excessive acts of frivolity and unsolicited benevolence especially, the recent offer of #500 Million (Naira) largesse to the Sokoto State Government, for the rebuilding of a market affected by fire outbreak and to help affected traders back to business, whereas, Rivers people, whose resources he control and lavish, have continued to wallow in poverty and deep want in the midst of surplus after ensuring that the State is the national capital of poverty and unemployment.

Eze recalled that some time past, while reeling in the euphoria of the steady monthly allocation from the federal government running into billions, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, unbidden, embarked on some road projects in Benue state, even when people in some parts of Rivers State swim across muddy waters to access adjoining neighborhoods.

The party stalwart said the excruciating and melancholic condition which traders affected by the Port Harcourt markets infernos have been forced to bear makes it necessary for Gov. Tambuwal of Sokoto and Ortom of Benue, as highest beneficiaries of Gov. Wike’s excessive prodigality, to display some sense of generosity of spirit in compliance with the rule of reciprocity.

Decrying the silent posture which Gov. Wike has maintained since the unfortunate incidents which have subjected traders to pains and agony and robbed them of their wares and means of survival, Chief Eze said one would have loved to see a situation where the Governor visits the scenes of the incidents and provide succor to the wailing traders who contribute in no small means to the economy of Rivers State.

“Recall that some sections of the popular Mile One Market in Port Harcourt and two other sensitive and key markets also within Port Harcourt, the capital city of Rivers State, were recently gutted by a raging inferno and sadly, none of these fire outbreaks attracted the sympathy of our Father Christmas Governor for him to either visit or console the Traders whose wares and means of livelihood have been consumed in the conflagration”.

“While not asking Governor Samuel Ortom and Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Benue and Sokoto States respectively, who have been my good friends and associates right from our days in the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party nPDP to return the huge sums of Rivers money which our dear Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, in his wisdom donated to help their States at the time of their needs without attending to sensitive areas of governance in his own State, I appeal to them to reciprocate the good gestures of Gov. Wike by at least visiting these traders to console and sympathise with them at this crucial period of abandonment and in demonstration of brotherhood”, Eze counselled.

Eze called on Gov. Wike to shun ‘sleeping on duty’, stressing that it is satanic to deny affected traders attention at this trying time, adding that it is only fair, no matter how busy for nothing he may be, to spare some time out and attend to their plight, nothing that the the traders not only contribute to the GDP of Rivers State but also play vital roles in the food supply chain.

Furthermore, the party stalwart emphasized the need to equip the Fire Service Department of the State adequately to enable them carry out their functions accordingly. Besides a detailed investigation should be launched into the incessant fire incidence in the state in a bid to curb and forestall recurrence.

While consoling the affected traders for their huge losses, Eze urged them not to give up for any reason as God is still on His Throne, and called on people of goodwill to rally round, show concern and contribute in bringing the traders back to market.

Eze used the medium to urge traders across the state to take advantage of the ongoing membership drive in the APC to register with the party in order to take part in the process of bringing onboard, a God fearing and humane government in the State, such that will promptly tackle the very many challenges affecting growth and development and utilize Rivers resources for the emancipation, development and general well being of all Rivers State people.

The long-sought relief from choking vehicular gridlocks has finally come the way of residents in the Agege-Abule Egba axis of Lagos State. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, commissioned the Pen Cinema Bridge and five arterial road networks in the area, formally opening the infrastructure for public use.

The commissioning marked fulfilment of another campaign promise made by Sanwo-Olu to residents, who daily endured pain in commuting within the axis in the last four years.

All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had the honour to inaugurate the projects, which he described as “needed catalyst” for the resuscitation of economic activities on the axis.

The construction of the 1.4-kilometre long flyover was part of the recommendation at the Lagos Economic Summit (Ehingbeti) under ex-Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration, as a strategic intervention to achieving significant traffic improvement in the densely populated area. The last administration created the right-of-way and set up the structural beams; Governor Sanwo-Olu substantially completed civil works on the bridge.

The imposing overpass ascends from Oba Ogunji Road and drops at Oke Koto area of Agege. The bridge also opens to the old Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway through Abule Egba.

Tumultuous crowd of joyous residents joined Gov. Sanwo-Olu and members of the State’s cabinet in handing over the bridge for public use.

The Governor described the delivery of the project as a “landmark progress” in the State Government’s drive towards eliminating bottlenecks causing suffocating gridlocks and relieving residents of stress associated with commuting on roads.

Sanwo-Olu said the two-pronged approach, which his administration deployed to deliver critical infrastructure, gave priority to continuation and completion of strategic projects, regular maintenance and construction of new ones in line with the State’s Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP).

He said his Government decided to continue the project, because it was in tune with the first pillar of his administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda, which targets the provision of roads for expedited economic growth and seamless mobility.

He said: “I am delighted to stand before Lagosians today to celebrate the delivery of this landmark project, which again, reflects our administration’s belief in the principle of continuity in governance and demonstrates our commitment to the urgency of infrastructure development and the welfare of our people. The completion of this flyover and five network of roads sends a strong message about our determination to accelerate our futuristic vision for a world class transportation system complemented by a good network of roads for social and economic transformation.

“In order to address the challenge of huge traffic burden, the immediate past administration initiated and commenced the construction of a precast and pre-stressed reinforced concrete of 1.4km dual-carriage flyover and ramp, with road works across the Agege-Pen Cinema Intersection. As of May 2019 when this administration was inaugurated, this project was at about 20 per cent progress. With the delivery of this bridge, which is complemented with traffic signalisation and drainage channels, we have resolved the perennial traffic arising from huge human and vehicular movement from Agege-Pen Cinema Intersection towards Abule Egba, Fagba, Oke Koto and Iyana Ipaja.”

To achieve a quick turnaround in commuting on the bridge, Sanwo-Olu disclosed that his Government identified and reconstructed five strategic arterial roads with good connectivity to adjoining roads that could serve as alternative bypasses to other routes in periods of heavy traffic.

The Governor said since road transportation remained crucial to economic growth and physical development, he believed the project would inject more life into socio-economic activities of people living and doing business in the area.

He said: “A key outcome from the strategic execution of this magnificent Pen Cinema Flyover project is that our administration has again demonstrated the priority it accords to the wellbeing of our people. It is a true test of our commitment to the Greater Lagos vision and a reflection of the achievability of our audacious socio-economic goals. In the course of implementing this project, we created jobs for about 380 people including engineers, supervisors, artisans and others- a clear indicator of the nexus between infrastructure development and employment generation.”

Sanwo-Olu pledged that his administration would not relent in provision of infrastructure for coordinated and sustainable development that would help to improve the State’s performance on the Ease of Doing Business index.

Tinubu expressed confidence in Sanwo-Olu’s leadership, noting that the Governor had stabilised and brought Lagos back on a focused journey, despite economic turbulence occasioned by Coronavirus (COVID-19) and coordinated destruction of the State’s assets.

The APC National Leader, who described Sanwo-Olu as “a brilliant captain”, praised the collaboration between the executive and the legislative arms in the State.

He said: “This is a commendable achievement by Sanwo-Olu, who has further brought Lagos on the path of progress, given the economic resuscitation this infrastructure will bring on this axis and entire Lagos. May you continue to think and perform to demonstrate excellent results as you have done today.”

Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye, said the axis on which the flyover is sited is one of the busiest in vehicular activities in Lagos, saying the bridge would bring back convenience to millions of residents commuting in the area.

She said: “The entire project consists of a dual carriageway, with a bridge component of two lanes with 3.65 cm width in either direction. The road component consists of service lanes on either side of the bridge with median, kerbs and walkways that are complete with signalised traffic system. There are junction improvements with LED streetlight features.”

Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, who represents Agege in the Assembly, described Governor Sanwo-Olu as “a proactive, wonderful performer”, who always accomplishes any projects he promises.

The adjoining roads commissioned with the flyover are Iju Road, Oba Ogunji Road, Agunbiade Road, Oke Koto Intersection and Iyana Ipaja link road.

Miss. Hope Akenna, a young Ogoni lady who sells onions to make a living, has emerged winner of the monthly Princewill Trust Help the Hard Worker competition.

The monthly competition put together by the hard working team of the Princewill’s Trust is well into its second year and is fast becoming the go to standard for transparent online competition.

Hope emerged the winner of the February 2021 edition, after a well contested competition, beating two men, Austin Tobin and Wisdom Robinson to win the N100, 000 cash prize.

A statement from Princewills Trust quoted Prince Tonye T.J.T Princewill, who presented the cash award on behalf of his Trust, as saying the aim of the Trust was simply to encourage hard workers and move away from the mindset of entitlement. He called on the winner to make judicious use of the money and “give others like her, the courage and inspiration to do well, work hard and upgrade their businesses too. As your name has suggested,in the end; hope always wins.”

The “Help the Hard worker” monthly competition is organised by a non-governmental organisation, The Princewill’s Trust for entrepreneurs, youths and Rivers state residents engaged in micro business ventures and all forms of hard work in Rivers State.

The winner said she was in need of funds to expand her onion business, but was helpless, adding that it had always been her honest wish and desire to work hard to succeed in life. She called on Youths in Rivers state to be hard working and also engage in productive activities. She also advised them to shun violence and cultism and focus more on their creative ideas. With that, hard work and the grace of God, they would realize their own dreams of how to be successful in life. “Hard work eventually pays”, she stated. She equally thanked the Princewills Trust for giving her and others a wonderful opportunity in Rivers State.

Finally, she pleaded with others in a position to help, to do the same and to also give back to the society, whenever possible. In a related development, the winner of the Help a Smartworker sister programme for the same period is due to be announced later today. That is for the same category of people, but is restricted to the political class and has a cash prize of 150,000 Naira.