CSO knocks Wike as Rivers gov donate N500m to Sokoto fire victims
The Rivers State Civil Society Organisation has criticized Governor Nyesom Wike over his N500m pledge to affected traders and rebuild the Sokoto Central Market, which was gutted by fire.
The State Chairman of the group, Enefaa Georgewill, said though there was nothing wrong for anyone to commiserate with victims of disasters, but there were a lot of pressing issues begging for attention in Rivers State.
The Rivers State government pledged the sum of N500m to support its Sokoto state counterpart in rebuilding the market, just as Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state, donated N30m to the victims of the inferno.
Part of the N500m, according to Wike, who visited Sokoto on Wednesday is meant to support the victims of the disaster.
Affirming that whatever affects Sokoto also concerns Rivers State, Wike said, “My administration will do all it takes to ensure that the affected market is reconstructed and becomes functional.
“A situation where the means of livelihood of the people of Sokoto State, the drive of the government to improve the people’s lives and a broad spectrum of socio-economic wellbeing of many people will be affected does not augur well for development and progress”.
Georgewill stated, “We have the case of the Orashi region that has been ravaged by flood. Governor Wike did not make any response and there is no well coordinated distribution of relief materials to the people.
“We are in a state where pensioners and retirees are complaining that they have not been paid their gratuities since he assumed office as the governor of Rivers State and he is going to donate N500m to citizens in another state.
The CSO leader added, “We are talking about a state where since the inception of this government, we have not witnessed bursary paid to Rivers students, which is the culture and tradition that previous governments had followed.
