Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara (middle), Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof Ngozi Odu and former Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Engr Tele Ikuru, at the unveiling of the plaque to commemorate the commissioning of the internal roads in Omademe Community on Monday.
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has defended his administration’s decision to implement a comprehensive payroll verification exercise across the state’s 23 local government areas, insisting that the exercise is aimed at eliminating ghost workers and enforcing fiscal discipline.
Fubara spoke on Monday while commissioning the Omademe Internal Roads Project in Ikwerre Local Government Area, where he said the clean-up was necessary to address longstanding irregularities in local government payrolls.
The governor said the problem of bloated salary records predated his administration, noting that the former Local Government Service Commission had begun working on it before the state’s emergency administration.
He said he remained committed to resolving the issue after his return from what he described as a “sabbatical leave” and the constitution of a new Local Government Service Commission.
Fubara, a former Treasury officer, said his experience in public finance informed his decision to deploy information and communication technology personnel to support the verification committee.
He stressed that the exercise was conducted to ensure objectivity and transparency, insisting that political considerations would not influence its outcome.
“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,” the governor said.
He added: “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.”
Fubara also warned against politicising the payroll exercise, saying his administration would not allow every government decision to be interpreted through the prism of political rivalry.
He said he had approved the implementation of the committee’s recommendations and remained firmly behind the decision.
The governor also described the Omademe road project as part of his administration’s efforts to open up rural communities, improve connectivity and stimulate economic activities.
He said his administration would continue to deliver 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,” he said.
Fubara also urged Rivers political leaders to sustain the prevailing peace in the state and abandon the political crisis of the past.
“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,” he said.
Earlier, Commissioner for Works, Prof. Temple Nwofor, said the Omademe internal roads contract was awarded to Setraco Construction Limited in February 2024, while construction commenced in November of the same year.
Nwofor said the project comprises 10 internal roads covering about 8.6 kilometres, with side drains and outfall discharge systems.
According to him, the project includes a 100mm asphaltic layer, 8.7 kilometres of concrete side drains and a three-kilometre outfall drainage system designed to reduce the risk of flooding.
The Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Charles Wobodo, thanked the governor for the project but called for additional road projects to further expand the council’s road network.