…… Want Garrison Roundabout dismantled
Lorine Emenike
The Rivers elders and leaders forum have condemned the high rate of insecurity in the state and mismanagement of the state’s funds by the Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike-led administration.
Chief Dan Amachree who is also a stakeholder of the forum in his speech, noted that the youths are the real perpetrators of crime in the state as they are being used by politicians as machineries to carry out their personal deeds.
Chief Amachree maintained that the youths are vulnerable to politicians because of unemployment, adding that if the youths are adequately employed, they will not be used for evil vices in the society.
Continuing, he stressed that the insecurity in the state is also a result of the mismanagement of the state resources by the state government. He said that without security in a society, investors will not invest, as security is the paramount criteria investors consider first before investing their money in a particular place.
Chief Amachree said: ” If South-South governors should build just two refineries, we will make more money than somebody who has an oil block, and with the establishment of a refinery in the region, unemployment will be mopped up. If there are good security and adequate electricity supply, the region will be an investment hub”.
Also, MS. Ibiba DonPedro, a stakeholder of the forum and a Journalist and the publisher of National Point newspaper maintained that since the general election is just six months away, the forum should organize themselves to be a determining voice of who best will be the next governor of Rivers State.
Also, another stakeholder of the forum said that without proper assessment, the present state administration has spent billions of the state’s funds in constructing musters, especially the Garrison Roundabout and advised the state government to dismantle the Garisson Roundabout as it is a waste of resources.
He stressed that what will work is for the state government to build fly-overs in areas like Waterlines, GRA junction, Rumuokoro Roundabout and not a Roundabout at Garrison, saying that the state government should either bring the Garrison Roundabout to what it used to be or else, it will be taken to court.
The elder’s forum advised the state government to decentralize the state university campus (Rivers State University).
The forum noted that it was documented that the law school should be sited in Degema, while medical college was to be sited in Abuah, and college of Agriculture in Onne, stressing, however, that the state government should implement what was already established and signed.
The forum also advised the government to construct and dualize internal roads all over the state and not just in a few selected areas.
The forum urged the federal government to change the name of Niger Delta as it was formerly to OMPADEC, which comprises of Rivers State, Bayelsa State, Delta State, Akwa Ibom State, Cross Rivers State and Edo state.
On his part, the National Chairman of the Forum, Chief A. K Horsefol, said he hopes the security of the state will improve. He stressed that insecurity denies the patronage that the state will enjoy in terms of investment and business.
Chief Horsefol maintained that it is not enough for them as Rivers State people to trade among themselves only, adding that outsiders should also come to the state to invest and do business just as he noted that Port Harcourt used to be a darling of most Nigerians and foreigners.
He said: “We want to return to that situation of life. We want Port Harcourt to become the darling of Nigerians and non-Nigerians who are in this country.
Also, Chief A. K Horsefall, condemned the incessant killings by herdsmen and characterized them as terrorists in the country while advising all Nigerians to defend themselves whenever they are attacked by the terrorists.
Continuing, he said ” we used to have Boko Haram. Boko Haram is falling apart, is this herdsmen movement another Boko Haram activity?
” We must be on the lookout. Rivers state people must defend themselves against this menace of herdsmen.
“I have read somewhere where herdsmen said that they are reacting to people killing their cows and they equate one cow to one man.
” To that extent, it shows that the people who are behind this are themselves evilly minded. They are the predators and we must resist them physically, psychologically and refuse to be intimidated by their activities.
” Communities where they go to commit these atrocities, should stand up to them and react appropriately”.
