November 25, (THEWILL) – The people of Rivers State are no strangers to political crisis and violence. At no time have they enjoyed real peace and progress since the current dispensation. There is always one issue or another to worry about. For a state that is considered to be the official cash cow of Nigeria, a major producer of the country’s oil wealth, this is an unfair burden to bear.
The state capital, Port Harcourt, which was once known as the Garden City, a symbol of urban excellence, has since lost its lustre and serene atmosphere, two qualities that used to attract visitors from other parts of the country and encourage them to adopt the city as their home.
The reason for this is not far-fetched. The city’s gradual decline is due to a combination of factors, chief among which is an appalling loss of focus on the part of those at the helm of the state in the past few years or so.
Each time Rivers is entangled in a web of crisis, there is lack of concentration on the affairs of state. Governance simply shuts down and the people are left to their own devices. In the end, the people suffer, particularly the poor and less privileged.
For almost one year now since the inauguration of the Siminalayi Fubara Administration, it seems as if governance is on a forced recess, clearly foreshadowed by the ongoing political crisis in the state which is not helping matters in any way.
Governor Fubara has a duty to perform, which is primarily geared towards guiding Rivers and its people on the path of peace and progress. This is his mandate. If the forces opposed to his government continue to wage war against him and prevent the state from progressing further, it may lead to some unwanted consequences. Anarchy is one of them.
Peace is essential for the government to achieve results. There cannot be meaningful progress in the absence of peace. The people of Rivers State, like their compatriots in other parts of the country, want peace. It is their fundamental human right and it must be respected by all.
Already under pressure from the worsening insecurity and the prevailing hardship in the country, the people deserve a break from the seemingly endless cycle of disruptive conflicts that often leave them at the receiving end.Â
It is high time the main actors in the ongoing crisis in the state realised that the ordinary people are the ones who bear the brunt in almost all situations. For this reason, we appeal to the warring groups to consider giving peace a chance.
The long-suffering masses deserve a break, no doubt and the fulfilment of their needs must be treated as top priority.
