Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has defended his administration’s decision to implement the recommendations of the staff payroll verification exercise in the 23 local government areas of the state, saying the measure was aimed at entrenching fiscal discipline and eliminating “ghost” workers.
Fubara spoke on Monday while inaugurating the Omademe Internal Roads Project in Ikwerre Local Government Area, where he maintained that the payroll clean-up was not politically motivated but intended to ensure that only legitimately employed workers were captured on the government’s payroll.
The governor said the issue of bloated payrolls at the local government level predated his administration, noting that the then Local Government Service Commission had commenced efforts to address it before the emergency rule in the state.
He said upon his return from what he described as his “sabbatical leave” and the constitution of a new commission, he remained committed to resolving the problem.
Fubara, who served as a Treasury Officer before venturing into politics, said he brought his experience to bear on the exercise, while ICT personnel were deployed to assist the committee in ensuring a transparent and objective process.
He said the committee was deliberately insulated from political considerations, stressing that the exercise was intended to ensure that employment into the local government service followed due process.
“It doesn’t matter whether the people are my supporters. It doesn’t matter whether they are people from the other side. Now there is no other side. We are all Rivers people.
“I want to ensure that the right thing is done. I’m not against you being employed. But the issue is that if you have to be employed, you have to be employed through the proper channel,” he said.
The governor urged those politicising the exercise to desist, saying governance should be based on facts rather than political affiliation.
“Everything about this state mustn’t be tied to politics. It mustn’t be tied to myself and because of this and that. No. Please, at times, let’s be very objective and look beyond the issue of politics and look at facts.
“So, I want to say here, that I approved the implementation of that recommendation and I stand by it,” Fubara stated.
Speaking on the Omademe road project, the governor said the infrastructure was part of his administration’s efforts to open up rural communities, improve connectivity and stimulate economic activities.
He pledged that his administration would continue to execute projects that add value to the lives of residents until the end of its tenure.
“We want to say it publicly here that it’s not about the number of days, but what matters in the life of every administration is the value that is added. So, please, nobody should lose any hope. We will continue to add value till the last day,” he said.
Fubara also appealed to political leaders in the state to sustain the prevailing peace and put the past political crisis behind them.
According to him, the state should focus on the future rather than reopening old political wounds.
“Just think of where we are coming from. Think of what has happened before. For me, I am not interested in going down that road anymore. What is behind me is behind me. What I am looking at is what is ahead of me.
“So, please, let’s look at what is ahead of all of us as a team, as a state, as part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Works, Prof Temple Nwofor, said the contract for the Omademe internal roads was awarded to Setraco Construction Limited in February 2024, while construction commenced in November of the same year.
Nwofor said the project comprised 10 internal roads covering about 8.6 kilometres, with side drains and outfall discharge systems.
He added that the project featured a 100mm asphaltic layer, 8.7 kilometres of concrete side drains and a three-kilometre outfall drainage system designed to curb flooding.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Hon Charles Wobodo, commended Governor Fubara for the project but appealed for the construction of more roads to further expand the road network across the council area.
