Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has voiced urgent concerns over Nigeria’s stagnant development, emphasizing the need for immediate action to tackle the country’s pressing issues.
Speaking at the National Airfreight Summit in Port Harcourt, Governor Fubara lamented the lack of basic amenities such as functional airports and roads, and noted that many Nigerians are forced to seek solutions in churches, contrasting this with Chinese citizens who rely on their government.
Fubara highlighted that 75% of Nigerians struggle to feed their families, calling for a collaborative effort in job creation and infrastructure investment.
The governor, represented at the event by the Rivers State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barr John Otamiri, urged stakeholders to shift their focus from politics to economic growth, stating that the current strategies were failing the nation.
Reiterating Rivers State’s commitment to fostering a safe environment for investors, Governor Fubara stressed the importance of creating jobs and preparing for future generations.
He said: “It is surprising that we are leaving the areas where our concerns should centre on, and we are talking about politics. I want to pray that when you leave here, you reconsider where Nigeria is going to.
“There is nothing functional in Nigeria. Nigerians are looking for a good airport or good roads, they go to the churches to seek the face of God. Where do the Chinese people seek when they are looking for basic amenities in their country?”
He continued: “Everything here, we don’t sit down to think for the way forward. I want you people to think about how to grow the economy and grow it properly. As a representative of the Executive Governor of Rivers State, we owe people in Rivers State the truth; we’re not moving forward as a country. We are not thinking towards how to prepare ourselves for the generations coming in today and the ones yet to come.
“We have our target point and our concern is how to create jobs for Nigerians. When you look at the streets 75 percent of Nigerians are scavengers, they are looking for what to eat and feed their families, so many people are dying in hunger and we smile when we come out to an event like this.
“So the Rivers mantra is against some of these principles, that is why the governor of Rivers State is investing hugely on how to create jobs and making the state a safe environment for investors to come to Rivers state.”