The Rivers State Civil Society Organisation has slammed Governor Nyesom Wike over his sundry donations running into billions of naira to some states outside Rivers.
Governor Wike may have donated about N2.4 billion to five states in the last four years.
On February 7, 2018, Governor Wike donated N200 million to the Benue State Government, following a massacre that claimed dozens of lives there.
On January 20, 2021, Wike donated N500 million to Sokoto State as support to rebuild the state central marker in the aftermath of a fire incident.
Also, the Rivers State Governor on May 27 , 2021 pledged N600 million to support Akwa Ibom State to build hospital in Ona, local government area, where Governor Udom Emmanuel hails from.
On February 14, 2022, Wike donated N500 million to the Bayelsa State Medical Science University in Yenagoa, the state capital.
On Monday, April 25, 2022, Wike during his consultation for the PDP Presidential tickets donated N200 million to Kaduna State.
To this end, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Civil Society Organisation, Solomon Lenu, described the trend as worrisome.
Lenu, while speaking in Port Harcourt expressed worry that the governor prefers to donate millions of naira to other states when pensioners are yet ro be paid their arrears.
He stated, “The news of yet another of N200 million to Kaduna State is one that struck the heart of he Rivers State Civil Society Organisation.
“This is so worrisome because up till this moment as we speak, the demonstration school teachers are still not paid after seven years, even after two court victories.
“The pensioners of Rivers State have not been paid their gratuity after numerous protests, even when a lot of them had died,” he stated.
Lenu said Ruvers people had gone through the worst moments of their lives under the Governor Wike led administration.
“We don’t know the yardstick for which he is doing what he is doing. We don’t know the reason for which he has chosen to carry on through this part. We don’t know the rational behind what he is doing. But we must say it as it is.
“Rivers people are going through the worst moments of their lives under this current administration. We have witnessed a government that does not care about the welfare of the people.
“For seven clear years there has been no social intervention, no social support, no employment or even promotion of the existing civil servants.
“What we see everyday is donation of millions upon millions to other states, while the people of Rivers State are dying” he added.
The state CSO spokesman expressed sadness that the governor has failed to better the lives of the people that brought him to power for a second term in 2019 despite the obvious challenges
“We can still remember that Rivers people fought the security agencies. They put their lives on the line, some lost their lives in 2019 to ensure that the mandate they gave to the governor is maintained.
“Unfortunately, this is how the governor has chosen to pay back the people of Rivers State who sweated and suffered stress and blood to ensurw that his mandate was redeemed.
“It is quite unfortunate, it is condemnable and we urge every Rivers man and woman of good conscience to condemn this in totality. This is not what leadership should be” Lenu stated.
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