Residents of Etche and Ikwerre local governments of Rivers State trooped out yesterday for the inauguration of the repaired Igwuruta-Chokocho federal road.
Governor Nyesom Wike rebuilt the road to create easy access to local governments, usually called the state’s food basket.
Traditional rulers, elders, clerics, women and youths from converged on Chokocho in Etche Local Government, singing and dancing.
The rehabilitated road reconnects communities cut off from one another for 20 years.
Former Akwa Ibom State Governor and Senate Minority leader Godswill Akpabio inaugurated the road.
He said there was no reason for the Federal Government to budget for roads that will not be built.
The former governor said financial allocations for federal roads should be released to states to enable them handle the roads their way.
He said: “Where you have federal roads, the Federal Government may never come. As such, states will have to take their destinies in their hands.
“Here is a governor (Wike), who does not care if a road belongs to the federal or state government. He goes ahead to construct for the benefit of his people.”
Akpabio added: “The Federal Government should distribute money voted for its roads to states. There is no need to continue to vote money for federal roads, which are never constructed. Such funds should be distributed to states to build the roads.”
The senator hailed Wike for his transformational leadership.
He said the Rivers governor led his people with compassion and judicious application of resources.
Akpabio noted that Wike deserved the applause he was getting because of the infrastructural renaissance in the state.
Wike said the successful reconstruction of the Igwuruta-Chokocho federal road was in fulfilment of the pledge he made to the people of Etche during his election campaign.
The governor said his administration would also build the Chokocho-Igbo-Etche-Rumukrusi road to link more communities in Etche.
He said the performance of his administration was a result of the encouragement he got from Akpabio.
Wike said the former Akwa Ibom State governor urged him to avoid making unrealistic promises that would disappoint his supporters.
He said: “I will never play politics with the construction of roads in the state. I will never make promises that I will not fulfil. My pledge is my bond. Whether or not there is economic recession, we shall continue to work for the people of the state.”