By Amos Odhe, Yenagoa
Special Adviser to the Bayelsa governor on Labour, Employment and Productivity, Hon. Famous Daunemigha, has urged President Bola Tinubu to review the allocation of N5 billion palliatives to the six states of the Niger Delta region and deploy such funds to the rehabilitation and construction of federal roads begging for attention.
According to Hon. Daunemigha, though issues of palliatives to some states is necessary, what the Niger Delta need at the moment is an emergency on deplorable roads from Ologbo and Sapele roads in Edo, the East-West road from Bayelsa to Rivers State and Onne-Eleme, is a town in Eleme, Rivers State.
Special Adviser to the Bayelsa governor, in a statement reacting to the N5 billon and five trucks of rice announced by the Federal Government, said the Federal Government have started getting it wrong by not considering the challenges facing each region at the moment.
According to Daunemigha,”This is where we always get it wrong. The government mainly probably have an intention of solving problems but we are creating problem. Look at the Niger Delta region, where I come from, all the major roads are bad. Let’s say we have six governors of the six states and if you have N30 billion naira and you decide to pump it into the East-West road and other federal roads around it. You will discover that we added more value to lives in the region than sharing N5 billion.”
“In some cases, you will discover that some managers of the N5 billon funds will manage it. They will probably make a mess of it and the common man, who is probably waiting for it, will never see it. My take on it is that the Federal Government is missing the point and thinking of solving a problem by creating another problem.
“Basically, I think the Federal Government should learn from mistakes of past administrations and change its tactics on the policies that add values to han lives. For instance, we are in a time that flood is even coming and the East-West road is in deplorable situation. The last massive flood had cut off the road and right now, people find it difficult to move. The road is a death trap.
“The Warri end is bad. Between Port Harcourt and Bayelsa end is bad. The Federal Government is not even ashamed. Look at Eleme road along the Petro-chemical road to Eleme is bad. And that’s where the major revenue is coming from. They will just sit down there and be thinking of sending Rice to the people. Who told you that the common man don’t get rice for themselves?
“I think the Federal Government should quickly look at it and thank God, we have a Minister that is going to be on board. Look at this Minister this time around and get it right so that people can have more easy life. This is a time when people can’t take Air transport anymore because it is expensive. And the problem is more compounded with it’s deplorable condition. If these roads are in good condition, the Federal Government would have succeeded in touching more lives across the states of the region,” he said.
