Reactions have continued to trail the recent approval given Governor Nyesom Wike to access an 18billion naira loan by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
You will recall that the Governor in a letter to the house on Monday said that the loan will be used for the development of the state, specifically the construction of the fourth flyover at GRA junction, dualization of the mummy B to Stadium road, dualization of Tombia to Ikwerre road and payment of ancillary facilities and properties to be destroyed in course of the projects.
Some residents of Port Harcourt told City News that the loan request and approval are in order as the road constructions they are meant for will develop the state.
One of the residents said, ”The area where the flyover is to be constructed is a strategic location. In fact, they are all strategic places and I feel that the construction will bring order to the roads. Therefore, it is a welcome development”.
However, some other residents did not agree.
For instance, a Civil Servant said, ”The government of today does not seem to be considerate. Instead of them to empower youths and create employment opportunities with the loan, they are talking about roads. I'm not saying that roads are not good but with the situation of the pandemic, should that be the main focus?”
Another respondent told City News that ”The House of Assembly members should not have approved the loan. They should have protested because they are supposed to protect the interests of the common man. Now they want to pay back the loan from internally generated funds”.
A petty trader at Ozuoba also said ”Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor are not the only Local Government Areas in the state. I'm from Abua and we also need good roads there. How is that since 2015 he has focused only on those two LGAs. The governor is being too tribalistic”.
Credit: City News
