Wike preaches equity as commissioners get mandate

Rivers State Governor, Barrister Nyesom Wike has charged newly sworn-in commissioners and secretary to the State Government on service delivery and to treat everybody equally irrespective of party or ethnic affiliation.

Wike gave the charge on Friday shortly after swearing-in the Secretary to the State Government, four Commissioners, Chief of Staff and Special Adviser on Media and publicity in Government House Port Harcourt.

The governor warned them not to see their appointment as patronage but to serve Rivers people in honesty and purpose.

He told the new Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Emmanuel Aguma, “We don’t want you to be an Attorney-General that will not give good advice to the governor and deputy governor. We don’t want you to be the Attorney-General that will ensure that the court are closed. We don’t want you to be the Attorney-General that will go outside the state to be looking for court injunctions, but rather an Attorney-General that will bring justice to Rivers State”.

Wike said he has no doubt that the new commissioner for Justice is capable of delivering on his mandate while congratulating him.

To the new Chief of Staff, Emeka Woke, an Engineer, the governor counseled him to run an open policy, where every Rivers citizen and non-indigenes will have access to government, warning that “you are not only a Chief of Staff to PDP but you are a Chief of Staff to anybody that has come to the state to carry out one business or the other. The office is a very key office”.

The governor reiterated that he would not hesitate to disengage any appointee who fails on his duty or displays divisive character.

To the new commissioners for Finance Fred Kpakol and his counterparts for Agriculture Onimim Jack, Governor Wike expressed hope that they will bring their expertise to bear in their new positions.

To the Commissioner for Finance, he said, he should administer the state’s purse with discipline, while urging that of Agriculture to do her best in the position.

Wike said the administration is taking its time to select the best brains to head the various ministries and therefore assure that he will always consult leaders and opinion moulders on the best way to administer the state.

The new Commissioners include, Fred Kpakol, for Finance, Emma Aguma for Justice and Attorney-General of the state, Onimi Jacks is to serve in Agriculture Ministry while Emma Okah is to man the Housing Ministry.

Others are Chief Kenneth Kobani who is the Secretary to the State Government and Opunabo Inko-Tariah is to serve as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.

Meanwhile, Special Adviser to the Rivers State Governor on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah has pledged to ensure a robust relationship between media practitioners and the state government. “For sure I don’t think anybody will impugn on that. My job is to project and protect the governor and that is what I will do”.

On his part, new Commissioner for Housing, Emma Okah said he would evolve a new housing policy in line with the new Rivers vision, while explaining that housing remain key to the Wike administration.

Culled from www.pmnewsnigeria.com