Rivers rerun: Governor Wike commends Senate’s intervention

Rivers State Governor , Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has commended the Nigerian Senate for rising to the occasion in defence of democracy as it concerns the rerun elections in the state .

The governor declared that it is important that Rivers State gets her full representation at the Senate, the House of Representatives and the Rivers State House of Assembly .

Speaking at the Government House, Port Harcourt when he granted audience to a delegation of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission on Thursday, he said: “I thank God that the Senate has risen to the occasion.

“It is important that the Senate has taken the right action that will ensure that Rivers State gets her representatives to speak for the state when issues of National importance are discussed in the Senate and the House of Representatives.”

He reiterated that there was no reason why the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has been unable to conduct the rerun elections because the state still generates the highest oil revenue and no pipeline is vandalised as a result of insecurity.

Commenting on the presentation by the delegation of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Governor Wike faulted the claim that the non oil sector is now generating 50 percent of the nation’s revenue since recession.

He noted that the country still relies on oil revenue, but pointed out that it is necessary to diversify the country’s revenue generation mechanism.

He, however, stated that the Rivers State Government will support the auditing and generation of statistics of the non oil revenue sector by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

Leader of the Commission’s Delegation and Federal Commissioner, Mr Sanya Omirin said that the team was in the state to conduct a wholistic auditing of the non-oil sector, verify mining companies with licenses, verify mining leases and confirm royalties that accrue from mining.

He added that the commission is working to bring all mining operators within the tax operations of the government for revenue generation.

He said the steps have become necessary because of the need to diversify the nation’s economy .