Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has called on elders and leaders of the state to join hands with his administration in sustaining peace and unity in Rivers State.

Fubara made the appeal on Monday while speaking at the commissioning of a network of 10 internal roads, covering 8.6 kilometres, in Omademe, Ikwerre Local Government Area.

The governor, who said Rivers State is now working as one, urged political, traditional and community leaders to sustain the prevailing atmosphere of peace and work collectively in the interest of the state.

Addressing the elders and leaders at the event, Governor Fubara said the responsibility of building a peaceful and prosperous Rivers State should not be left to government alone.

“Our leaders, this message is to all of you. You must join hands with me,” the governor said.

The governor said his administration would continue to do what it considered right and beneficial to the people until the last day of its tenure, urging Rivers people not to lose hope.

He said the number of days an administration spends in office is less important than the value it is able to add to the lives of the people.

“It’s not about the number of days, but what matters in the life of every administration is the value that is added. We will continue to add value till the last day,” he said.

The governor also urged the people to sustain the spirit of unity, stressing that development could only be achieved when leaders and citizens worked together.

“We are working as one now. Let us sustain that tempo for the good of Rivers State,” Fubara said.

Governor Fubara also dismissed political interpretations of his administration’s decisions, insisting that his actions are guided by the need to do what is right and deliver value to the people.

He was responding to comments by the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Charles Wobodo, who had appreciated him for the recently concluded verification exercise of workers across the various local government areas of the state.

Governor Fubara explained that the exercise was necessitated by concerns over bloated salary payrolls, particularly at the local government level, stressing that the objective was to identify genuine workers and ensure that employment will be carried out through the proper channels.

He said the verification process was deliberately thorough.

“It doesn’t matter whether the people are my supporters. It doesn’t matter whether the people are people from the other side. There is no other side. We are all Rivers people. I ensured that the right thing be done,” he said.

The governor said the implementation of the recommendations from the exercise had been approved, assuring that genuine vacancies would be filled through a proper employment process.

He also cautioned against attributing political motives to the exercise, urging those commenting on government decisions to look beyond politics and focus on the facts.

“Everything about this state mustn’t be tied to politics… Please, at times be very objective. Look beyond the issue of politics and look at facts,” he said.

The appeals come as the state government continues its commissioning of completed projects across the state, with the Omademe road network adding to the infrastructure delivered by the administration.

The 10-road network, with a combined length of 8.6 kilometres, is expected to improve movement and connectivity within Omademe and adjoining communities in Ikwerre Local Government Area.

Governor Fubara linked the construction to his administration’s broader philosophy of governance, saying every administration must seek to add value to what it inherits.

He said the Omademe road project is another example of that principle, noting that his predecessor had undertaken projects in the area while his administration had come to add to them.

“What is most important today is that we have added value to what we met. We strongly believe that that is the purpose of governance,” the governor said.

The governor assured the people of Omademe that their other concerns, including electricity and additional road infrastructure, would be considered by the government.

He further urged Rivers people to remain hopeful, saying his administration would continue to add value to the state until its last day in office.

“It’s not about the number of days, but what matters in the life of every administration is the value that is added. We will continue to add value till the last day,” he said.