There have been mixed reactions to the presentation of Governor Nyesom Wike’s scorecard in the last six years to Rivers people and stakeholders at the Obi Wali Conference Centre, Port Harcourt.
It would be recalled that Rivers people gathered at the centre on Monday for the event.
Metro Network news that covered the ceremony shared the opinions of some of the people.
The spokesman of All Progressives Congress(APC), Rivers State chapter, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, said the party had expected the governor to render an account of stewardship to the Rivers people but was disappointed that he left important matters of state, particularly the rendition of stewardship to stray into the murky waters of politics and as usual, played to the gallery.
He said the over politicization of an event that was designed to promote open and transparent administration in Rivers state was wrong and warned the governor to stop politicizing everything.
“Rivers people who gathered at the Obi Wali Conference Centre were interested in obtaining appropriate statistics relating to government’s income and expenditure for the first time since Governor Wike came on board”.
“The people had similarly expected sectoral breakdowns, complete with appropriate statistics showing how Rivers money has been spent in the last six years”.
“The so-called brochure printed by the administration to showcase its account of stewardship was rather in short supply”.
“We believe that this was a deliberate ploy by the Wike administration to deny the Rivers, people, a golden opportunity of having genuine access to credible information on how much came in within the period; how much has been spent by the administration; and how much is left in the coffers within the period under review”.
“Our people have been hoodwinked all through this administration. Important documents of state policy such as budgets have been hidden from the prying eyes of the people. Today at the Conference Centre, true Rivers people witnessed a repeat of the cat and mouse game”.
“Our people were not given any insight into how the economy is performing. They were not told how many jobs have been created or how much has flowed into the State through direct foreign or local investments”.
“By turning the occasion into a political jamboree that would catch newspaper and television headlines, Wike has proved that his intention was not to render a proper account of stewardship”.
“Rivers people want statistics to work with. They demand as of right that Government should keep them updated on all the facts”.
“The fact that the media are carrying news relating to politics when issues pertaining to the economy should be in focus show that once again the Wike administration did not provide adequate statistics, which could have caught the fancy of Journalists and other critics”.
“Our conclusion is that the whole show about rendering an account of stewardship was a sham and an attempt to hoodwink the people into believing that the government is operating a transparent and accountable system.”
However, His Majesty King J.W. Okuruket Nnabiget – XIV, JP, Okaan Ama Ngo, Ngo of Ngo land and Chairman of Andoni Area Traditional Rulers Council, commended the state governor’s performance and expressed confidence that he will continue to do more.
