JUST IN: Wike inaugurates 100,000 special assistants

GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike on Thursday swore in Batch 1 of newly engaged 100,000 Special Assistants (SAs) on Political Unit Affairs with a charge that they are to determine the decision Rivers people would take towards the new political dispensation.

The Rivers state governor had same day officially received new Commissioner of Police, Rivers Command, CP Okon Effiong, with a charge that he and other heads of security and their personnel steer clear of partisan politics in the state.

The inauguration of the SAs by the governor at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Omagwa in Ikwerre Local Government Area of involved those from Rivers West and Rivers South-East senatorial districts of the state.

According to Wike, the new SAs are to collate feelings of people in their domains concerning programmes and policies of his administration and pass feedback through the 319 Ward and 32 Constituency Liaison Officers also recently appointed, who will eventually transmit same to his office.

“Now your own is the most important because it is you that hear directly from the people. It is you that know the feelings of the people about us. It is you that will come and tell us, look, this is what my people are saying.

“This is a political period, hear from the people. What are they saying. So, you’ll be able to advise the governor, so I will know what decision to take. It is you who will determine what decision the people of Rivers State will take at the end of the day”, Wike charged the new SAs.

Receiving the new Rivers CP later at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Wike noted that if Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refuses to be influenced, the police stay away from interfering in the electoral process and the judiciary insist the rules are complied with, votes of the peoples will count.

“You have a role to make sure the people’s vote count, that the right person emerges. And when the right person emerges, you’ll see passion, and commitment in their work. The difference will be clear”,  he told CP Effiong.

He added, “For me, there cannot be any good governance without protection of life and property. Nobody can talk about good governance when there is insecurity everywhere. If you cannot protect your citizens, you have no need to talk about governance.

“Because if you’re doing roads, people must be alive to use the road. If you’re building good school, people must be alive to go to school. So, it is key that you owe your citizens protection of their lives and property. And so, for us as a government, that is the sole aim of being in government.”