Most Uncharitable To Blame Massive Poverty On Governors – Okowa, Wike Reply Buhari

ASABA – Miffed by the federal government’s decision to blame the worsening poverty in the country on state governors, the governor’s of Delta and Rivers States, Ifeanyi Okowa and Nyesom Wike, have said it was most uncharitable fo the central government to say the states’ chief executives are responsible for the hardship being faced by the citizens.

The Delta governor said yesterday that blaming states rather than identifying what steps should be taken to reduce poverty among the people “is, to say the least, most uncharitable.”

Speaking through Charles Aniagwu, the state commissioner for Information, Okowa cautioned the minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP Friday in an exclusive interview Aniagwu said, “At this point in time, it will not be healthy for anybody whether at the state or federal level, to be looking for who to blame for the challenges we have”.

He said at the federal level, the policies they brought in, pushed Nigerians more into poverty rather than taking them out of poverty.

He said, “What is most important is that we need a concerted effort to be able to deal with the very multi-dimensional level of poverty in our country.

“So, looking at states, saying that states did not embark on projects that should have done this, the reason why our people have become multi-nationally poor is because the economy has not been properly managed. The policy of this government, at the federal level, became much more ad-hoc rather than being something that is sustainable.

“What I would want the federal authorities to do is to take a major step to get all the states to come together because whether you like it or not, the people are taken out of poverty by these different levels of government.

“In Delta, you see what we have done in respect to human capital development, and the amount of strategic engagement that we have had as a result of creating jobs for our people and making them entrepreneurs.

“The federal government needs to also come out clean in terms of the policies that they have. When you wake and see the CBN moving away from monetary policies and dabbling into fiscal policies almost on a daily basis, is that the right way to get the economy to function?

“You hear the CBN saying they want to open up the corridor to Epe. Is it the business of CBN to begin to construct roads and to begin to do all those things? Those are fiscal issues that the central government needs to take into account so the CBN can concentrate on monetary policies. Our CBN has veered into that because of the failure of the central government to do a whole lot of things.

“We do hope that the central authority will take steps, as the father even if the component units are independent, to reduce poverty. As the father, this is the time to call your children, and tell them that our siblings are suffering, what do we do to solve the problem? You begin to look at the challenges of the states and how to fix it and get the country to function.

“This is not the time to put on a fine face, that you are not the one they are blaming. If you are the one they are blaming, are there no poor people in your state? So that is the reason why there must be cooperation between the tiers of government for the purpose of reducing this very multi-dimensional poverty that our people have sunk into in the last seven years specifically”.

Also, Rivers State governor, Wike, berated the minister for “exhibiting a lack of understanding on how governors plan development projects in their states.”

Wike said this yesterday while speaking at the inauguration of the 13.86km long Rumuodogo 1 and 2 Road in Oluua – Rumuodogo community in Emohua local government area of the state.

He stated that Agba was wrong when he said that governors are the cause of poverty because they focus on building flyovers, airports and other projects in the state capitals, while neglecting to invest in rural communities to directly uplift the living standard of the people.

Wike said, “He (Agba) said governors are the problem; they don’t do rural roads, and I ask him, where and where have you been? You just sit there (Abuja); you’ve not been anywhere to go and check whether rural roads are being done or not.”

Wike stated that the development plan of his administration is holistic with critical infrastructure delivered not only in the state capital, but across the 23 local government areas of the state.

The governor, therefore, advised the minister to take time out, leave Abuja and visit states, particularly, Rivers State.

He emphasised that there are quantum of projects in rural communities with the Rumuodogo road inclusive, which have improved the socioeconomic status of rural communities.

Wike said, “Come to Rivers State and see whether we are doing roads that will cause agricultural produce to be brought out to the cities or not before you open your mouth. We are not doing roads in the city alone. We are doing roads in all local government areas of the state.”

The governor also challenged some South-South state governors to stop hiding behind their attack dogs they have commissioned to insult him, adding that they should rather come to confront him personally.

He said, “Some people have been sending their people to insult me. I laugh. I heard some people call them Akwa Ibom professionals. They were insulting me. Tell the man who sent you to come out.

“You are just small kids. I am waiting for the big masquerade. Some people said they are Ijaw professionals. You that is sending them out, it is you I am looking for. I am not looking for these small fries.”

Wike wondered why those faceless governors are picking offence with him because he thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for releasing the 13% derivation arrears from 1999 to date.

The governor stated that even though he is never a fan of President Buhari, it does not stop him from expressing his gratitude to the president for releasing the fund that has helped to finance several projects in Rivers State.