The Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has said that local government chairmen and other political appointees in the state disrespecting him are digging a pit they will eventually fall into.
However, Fubara said he would not allow the actions of political detractors to distract him from meeting the needs of the good people of Rivers State who elected him into office.
The governor spoke at the commissioning of the Comprehensive Primary Healthcare Centre in Ndoni Town, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State on Thursday.
The centre was built and donated to the State Government by the PAMO Educational Foundation founded by former governor of the state, Dr Peter Odili.
Fubara took a swipe at those describing his administration as clueless because it is not constructing roads to personal property or serving the interest of a few individuals.
He insisted that he was elected to serve the general interest of Rivers people, improve their social status and make life comfortable for them.
The governor also told local government chairmen pretending to be serving the people while worshipping the interest of one man that they were digging a pit to bury their political career.
He particularly expressed surprise that the Local Government chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government chairman present at the event, and chastised him and some others for avoiding state government functions.
“I’m surprised that I saw the chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government here. I’m very surprised because before now, any event that had to do with the state government, all the local government chairmen, as it were, didn’t participate,” Fubara said.
Addressing the LG boss, the governor said, “I hope when you leave here, they are not going to sack you because I know you are not loyal to me. Or when you leave here, you will grant a press interview that it was not you, but your shadow?
“But let me say it here. Every one of you who thinks you are disrespecting me, you have already dug your pit. You will fall inside it. That is the truth.
“Our minds are very open. We do not wish anyone bad, but we expect you to know and do what is right. For those of you who have chosen to take the part that you think is that way that leads to your salvation, safe journey.”
The governor insisted his administration would not use plain cloth security officers to intimidate or harass the citizenry.
This is even as former Governor Peter Odili has endorsed Fubara as the state’s political leader.
Fubara acknowledged as ingenious the conviction of the PAMO Educational Foundation to undertake the construction of such a health facility as a private citizen deploying personal resources to give back to society.
The governor described the gesture as the best thing that has happened to the people, which is worthy of emulation, and urged members of the community to own the project by protecting it.
On his administration’s strides in healthcare delivery, Fubara said he increased the quota of employment of personnel into the health sector to 1,000 persons.
The action, he noted, was because the 200 personnel he met on assumption of duty were grossly inadequate compared to the prevailing needs in the sector.
The governor also referred to the deplorable condition of over 340 primary healthcare centres across the state when he assumed office and explained that commendable rehabilitation work was ongoing to ensure the facilities function optimally.
Fubara said to achieve the needed transformation and provision of quality healthcare services, the contractors that handled the reconstruction of the zonal hospitals have been invited and directed to return to site to complete the projects.
He stressed that the initiative was meant to bridge the yawning gap between the primary and tertiary healthcare services in the state.
The governor said, “But I’m happy with what the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Board has said here today.
“On assumption of office, it was different from what we have recorded. We are giving hope to the people. We are not going to stop improving that sector every day, by the special grace of God.
“We’ve gone further to improve our healthcare services by promising our people not just promising, but ensuring that we’ll see it through, that all the zonal hospitals must be put back to function.
“We have invited all the contractors that were awarded those jobs. We have asked them to return to site so that those facilities will function to provide quality services to our people.
“The Secretary mentioned employment. When we came on board, the number I saw allocated to you was 200. But I’ve given you 1,000 medical doctors. That will tell you that we place importance on efficient healthcare services for our State.”