The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Governor of Rivers, Mr Opunabo Inko-Tariah, has said that the state government’s N30 billion loan will be used to develop the state. Inko-Tariah told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Thursday that insinuations by the state chapter of All Progressives Congress that Gov. Nyesom Wike intends to borrow N100 billion were untrue.

He said there were compelling needs to be attended to and government had no option than to take the loan. “The governor’s actions were based on the necessity, the importance of the project to Rivers people and not whether he will take the credit or not for completing the project,’’ he said.

He said that the courts and assembly complexes were shut for close to two years and there was need to renovate them. “There are so many projects that were abandoned because the contractors were not paid by the previous administration and some of the projects are very important to Rivers people.

“Also, the governor has ordered that the April and May salaries of civil servants be paid,’’ he said. The governor’s spokesman said government was also reviving payment of overheads to ministries and parastatals.

According to him, government needs the money to kick start and that is why the governor is seeking the loan. He said the Wike administration did not inherit money from the previous administration and that it had to meet the needs of the people. “The demands are much greater than the resources available,’’ Inko-Tariah said.