Seven months after, Wike swears in Commissioners, Special Advisers

Seven months into his second tenure, Rivers State Governor, Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, swore-in 13 new Commissioners and 15 Special Advisers to the Governor in a ceremony at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House Port Harcourt on Monday.

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This puts to rest speculations making the rounds that the governor planned to run the state without commissioners.

Performing the swearing-in ceremony, the Governor charged the new Commissioners and Special Advisers to always place the interest of Rivers State above all other considerations.

He said: “Work for the interest of Rivers State.  This is a rare privilege to serve Rivers State.  Everything must not be money.

“As it has pleased God, you have been given the opportunity to assist in the development of Rivers State”.

The Governor said that with the State Executive Council formed, the implementation of the 2020 budget would start in earnest.

He warned the new Commissioners and Special Advisers against working with different political interest groups to seek for the 2023 Governorship. 

“If you know you are looking for money for 2023, resign now. I will not hesitate to remove you.

“If I catch any Commissioner or Special Adviser holding meetings on who will be Governor in 2023, there will be sanctions,” he warned.

Governor Wike advised the Commissioners and Special Advisers to be loyal and committed to the service of Rivers State.

He said: “Loyalty is key. The loyalty should not be in half measures.  Your loyalty must be 100 per cent.

“You must be loyal and work for the state.  All your actions must be targeted at the development of Rivers State”.

He said that the Rivers State Government got preliminary report that none of the Special Advisers or Commissioners was involved in cultism.

“If we find out eventually that any of you is involved in the sponsorship of cult groups, that person will be shown the way out of Government,” he said.

He said Commissioners who would head the infrastructure Ministries of Works, Health, Agriculture, Urban Development and Agriculture must be up and doing. He said no excuses would be tolerated by the government.

Governor Wike urged the Commissioners and Special Advisers to work with their respective Permanent Secretaries to deliver on the agenda of the Rivers State Government.

“You must work with your Permanent Secretaries to deliver on the ideals of this administration.  You must work as a team to move the state forward,” he said.

The Governor said that he would continue to work as if this was his first term in office. He assured that he would consolidate the delivery of projects across the state.

He said: “For me, this is our first term.  We must work to the satisfaction of Rivers people.  We must work to justify our mandate.”

He informed that another batch of Commissioners and Special Advisers would be appointed at the appropriate time.

The Governor said that he would immediately reshuffle the Permanent Secretaries and also appoint new Permanent Secretaries to drive the development process.

He announced that Treasury Single Account would be implemented in the state, in line with his commitment to internal revenue generation.