Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has charged the newly sworn-in Commissioners and Special Advisers to consider their appointments as a call to duty and as such should work hard to become good ambassadors and add value to governance in the State.
Governor Fubara who gave the charge at the Executive Council Chamber of Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday, while addressing guests and dignitaries, shortly after the swearing-in of five new commissioners and two Special Advisers, urged the appointees to be resilient and focused on the discharge of their duties and be mindful that the ultimate objectives of governance is to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
The governor who congratulated them on their appointments, said in joining the Rivers State management team under his superintendence, they must see it as a privilege to be chosen out of the over 7 million population of Rivers State and defend the interest of the State against the relentless onslaught of detractors who are desperate to truncate the democratic process in the State.
“I want to say that finding yourselves here is an opportunity for you to defend the government and also ensure that what these millions of people fought for about eleven and half months ago is not in vain.”
“They stood for something, and today because of that support we are still standing and conducting governance even in the face of some minor distractions.”
“We are not bringing you onboard to criticize or to abuse, because the only reason why the detractors are intensifying their shots is for us to miss our targets. At the end of the day, Rivers people will not ask us the number of court judgements that we have secured or the number of protests that we engaged in, but they want to see the results we obtained.”
While commending the new Commissioners and Special Advisers for coming onboard he said it is a call to duty and they must be good ambassadors of their people and specifically charged Dr. Samuel Anya who represents the non-indigenes to represent every interest of the non-indigenes from all parts of the country without prejudice as his government needs their continuous support.
“Don’t say because you are from the East it will be all about the East. Be a better representative so that your people will be happy and this support that you are getting from this non-indigenes will increase. We need their support.”
The governor thanked his cabinet members for their sustained support as his government is committed to making Rivers people proud in order to show that their standing with his administration is not a mistake.
Those sworn-in as Commissioners are Mr. Ilamu Arugu, Dr. Roland Obed White, Hon. Dr. Samuel Anya, Hon. Samuel Eyiba and Sir. Austin Nnadozie. The Special Advisers are Barr. Forgive Amachree and Hon. Achor Nna.
Meanwhile, Gov Fubara has also assigned portfolios to the newly sworn-in Commissioners and Special Advisers.
In a statement on Wednesday signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Wenike Danagogo, Ministry of Social Welfare & Rehabilitation is assigned to Mr. Ilamu Arugu, Ministry of Special Projects will be manned by Dr. Roland Obed-Whyte, Special Duties to be handled by Dr. Samuel Anya, Ministry of Water Resources & Rural Development is assigned to Hon. Samuel Eyiba while Sir Austin Emeka Nnadozie is to oversee the Ministry of Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment.
Also Barr. Forgiven Amachree is assigned the portfolio of Special Adviser on Political Affairs and Strategy while Achor Prince Nna is to take charge of Civil Society Relations. They are enjoined to resume immediately.
