Rivers: Activist criticises Fubara’s plan to spend N200bn on road project

By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

An activist, Comrade Solomon Lenu, have criticised the plan by Governor Siminalayi Fubara to take a loan of N200 billion for the construction of a ring road in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Fubara had signed the N200 billion Supplementary budget passed by the Rivers House of Assembly that will enable him to take the loan into law on Friday July 7 in Government House Port Harcourt.

However, Comrade Solomon Lenu, who is also the spokesperson of Rivers State Civil Society Organizations in a statement described the move by Fubara to take a loan of N200 billion to build more flyovers or embark on the gigantic ring road project as misplaced.

He advised Governor Fubara that ‘building bridges and flyovers are simplistic projects and good for ordinary men in leadership’, but there are more germane issues which ought to be addressed quickly that will bring huge benefits to Rivers people as his time ticks away as the Governor.

He listed some of the projects that the Governor should give attention to and ensure are put into immediate use of people of Rivers to include the Mother & Child hospital as well as all the moribund General Hospitals in the 23 local government areas that the previous administration claimed to be reconstructing or renovating.

His also advised Fubara administration to open up the ‘New Mile 1 Market’ for allocation of the stores and immediate use.

The Rights Activist also called on Fubara put the Cassava Processing Plant in Oyigbo that was commissioned about two year ago by previous administration into use.

Similarly, he suggested that the Cardiovascular (Cancer Centre) built by previous administration should be put to use.

He added that Fubara should also complete all projects that were abandoned by the immediate past administration.

Lenu, called for the completion of Rainbow Estate at Trans-Amadi, especially, since all the material needed for completion of the project is already on ground.

He called the Governor to open the Kelsey Harrison Specialist hospital use to be a life saver.

Lenu recalled that Kelsey Harrison Specialist Hospital saved his sister’s life in 2013. And it should be allowed to operate the very same way it was intended by the initiators.

“Kelsey Harrison Specialist Hospital was both a Specialist and a Reference hospital that was free of charge, only if patients are referred from any of the state government owned hospitals”.

He also called for completion of the Shopping Mall initiated my Sir Celestine Omahia at GRA junction, after all, Port Harcourt still don’t have enough shopping centers yet. “This will help beat down monopoly from the new guys like Hypercity & Market square etc.”

The Spokesman of Human Rights Group also called for completion of the “Waste To Wealth” waste recycling plant at Tai local government area.

“The city of Port harcourt will heal from the anemia of indiscriminate waste spillage, and this will create jobs as well as generate revenue to the state government.

In the Agricultural sector, he called on Governor Fubara revitalize the abandoned Songhai farm and the Buguma fish farms and encourage fishing business by giving grants to fishermen to boost their business and ensure food sufficiency.

Lenu suggested that people-oriented projects which are attainable in the first 100 days in office of the current administration are actually what the people want.