Rivers State: Babatunde Fashola Inaugurating Rebisi Flyover

Rivers State: Babatunde Fashola Inaugurating Rebisi Flyover.

The Minister for Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has applauded the massive urban regeneration and renewal programme of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.

Mr. Fashola made the observation while inaugurating the Rebisi Flyover Bridge in Port Harcourt on Saturday, which is one of five Flyover Bridges that are under construction simultaneously in the state.

Fashola, who had earlier visited the Rumuogba, Okoro-Nu-Odu, Rumuola and GRA Junction flyovers, said: “What I witnessed is a massive urban regeneration and urban renewal of Port Harcourt”.

He said Ministers have been mandated to support the developmental initiative and aspiration of every state in the country. This, he said, also informed the initiative to refund money spent on federal road to States. According to him, the first tranche of refund was about N577 Billion, while the second tranche, for which, Rivers State is a beneficiary, is N148 Billion.

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“In the second tranche it was five states. Out of those five states, I think only two were APC states and it was a total of N148billiion and Governor Nyesom Wike and Rivers State got lion share. He got N78billion. Don’t sit here and think he has received N78 billion, he still has to go to National Assembly because this part of Nigeria borrowing plan” he said.

The Minister commended Governor Wike for naming the Rebisi Flyover after the community.

“This place use to be known as Garrison. But, clearly as we begin to shed our military toga and our democracy ages and deepen, we will see a rebirth in our unity, our oneness and our shared developmental aspiration” he said.

Governor Wike, said such development efforts will promote peace among residents, tourism and return the Port Harcourt to its Garden City Status.

Wike said when the State Government flagged off the Rebisi, Okoro-Nu-Odu and Rumuogba flyovers simultaneously in October 2019, many sceptics, had questioned the possibility of the State completing the projects within the estimated time frame of 16 months.

He explained that the contractor, Julius Berger, worked assiduously, even during the COVID-19 lockdown, just to ensure that the projects were delivered on time.

“By December, we have to commission Okoro-Nu-Odu flyover. By February, we have to commission Rumuogba and Rumuola; by March-April, we will commission the GRA flyover” he said.

Governor Wike expressed satisfaction that his administration has been able to fulfil the promise of constructing five Flyover Bridges, with one of them achieved in twelve months.