Residents in Rivers State have urged Governor Siminialayi Fubara not to follow his predecessor’s paths, but embrace new directions that would entrench peace and development in the state.
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An elder statesman, Anabs Sara-Igbe, lamented that the past administration concentrated on infrastructural developments, especially flyovers, while the people were hungry and other aspects of the economy were neglected.
The Niger Delta activist said: “There should be a new direction; the governor should not follow the old direction. He needs to be innovative by setting up a creative team that would initiate ideas, which would advance the state and its economy. He should not just focus on flyovers when people are hungry.
“When you have not developed the human capital, then you have not developed the society; there should be a paradigm shift in this administration.
“Residents are hungry, and there are no job opportunities. So, deliberate efforts should be made to address these challenges.”
The elder statesman noted that development should be extended to all nooks and crannies of the state, and not just in Port Harcourt City and Obio-Akpor Council.”
Similarly, the Coordinator of Coalition of Concerned Rivers Stakeholders, Sunny Dada, said the reason for increasing cult-related crises in the state is due to high rate of unemployment.
Dada pointed out that the former governor, Nyesom Wike, concentrated on infrastructural developments, especially in Obio-Akpor and Port Harcourt councils at the expense of other councils.
He said: “There is need for this administration to focus on job creation. The unemployment rate in Rivers State is 43.7 per cent. Job creation would enable teeming unemployed youths to redirect their energies to meaningful ventures.
“The commonest jobs available to youths in the state are artisanal refining and taskforce. Unfortunately, security agencies are making it difficult for them to thrive. That is why a lot of them are doing nothing, and theft rate has increased. But when you invest on human capacity development, revive moribund industries- the Songhai Farms and other factories in the state, there will be improvements.”
Meanwhile, traders at the Mile One Market have called on the new governor to open up the second phase of the reconstructed market, which was commissioned over four years ago, but has been under lock and key.
They lamented that the locked market is causing more pains and hardship to them.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
