By Seyi Babalola
A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has described the gleeful fanfare that greeted the flag-off ceremony organized by the Rivers State Government for its palliative bus transport scheme in the state as a mere jamboree and spending binge intended to attract unnecessary attention at the expense of public fund.
The flag-off which was held Tuesday, at the premises of the defunct Rivers Transport Company (RTC), a public investment which continued to boom until around 2017 when it was frustrated out of business by the immediate past administration of Nyesom Wike.
He said Wike ran the state without any clear-cut policy framework and economic blueprint.
Prof. Ngozi Ordu, the Deputy Governor cut the ribbon on behalf of Governor of Rivers State, Sim Fubara, who prefer not to be dragged over the cosmetic scheme.
In a statement made available to media houses in Port Harcourt, Eze said the coaster buses displayed during the flag-off and which are now deployed for the scheme were purchased by former Gov. Chibuike Amaechi around 2011 when the state hosted the National Sports Festival of that year and were thereafter used to transport civil servants from their homes to the state secretariat and back to their bases at the close of work on daily basis.
Eze noted that the buses however laid idle all through the administration of Nyesom Wike who only revived them in 2022 to further his selfish presidential interest which was aborted prematurely.
He said the fanfare and flag-off were unnecessary given that since the fuel subsidy removal, other states where government are conscious of their obligation to citizens have been rolling out better palliative schemes such as cutting work days, increasing monthly salary, establishing food banks and reducing school fees in public institutions to help students from less privileged homes remain in school.
In less than 24 hours after the lunch of the buses, Eze said some of them broke down on the road due to mechanical fault, signaling that no proper servicing was carried out on the old buses before they were deployed on the roads whereas millions have been swindled from the state coffers for same purpose.
The APC chieftain said the state may be at the brink of economic collapse given the level of looting spree that has been planned against public treasury chief among which is the N200 billion Port Harcourt Ring Road Project which was hurriedly thought-out to siphon funds and transform private pockets while the majority continue to wallow in abject poverty and want.
What the state needs at the moment is to prioritize investment; attract local and foreign investors to leverage the market and expand job openings for the people; this will provide food for families and grow the economy. And one sure way to achieve this is to market the Greater Port Harcourt City, a mega project with economic potentials ready to be harnessed.
It is shameful that Rivers State, the ‘treasure base of the nation’ could not attract any foreign inflow all through the administration of Nyesom Wike. Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Oyo etc have all overtaken the state, whereas Lagos and Abuja have maintained their firm grips in the index.
Commending former Governor Amaechi for building strong legacies that has continued to resonate and provide platforms for exemplary leadership despite leaving office some nine years ago, Eze cautioned the Rivers State Government not to hide under the sterling performance of Amaechi to loot the treasury, adding that Rivers people are very much aware that no dime was spent on the so-called palliative transport scheme.
With this development, Eze noted with sadness that Fubara wants to improve in the arts of mis-governance in Rivers State from where Wike his master stopped
