Academics from five higher institutions in Rivers State have expressed worry over the ongoing political crisis and called for peace to pave the way for more developments.
The University dons from Rivers State University, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, Capt Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, and College of Health Sciences and Management Technology, Port Harcourt, lamented that, in other states, immediately after elections and winners declared, everybody comes together and work to move their states forward.
The body under the aegis of Simplified Academics, queried why Rivers’ case is different.
The Coordinator-General of the group, Prof. Akuro Gobo, lecturer at RSU, during a briefing in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, noted that the administration of Siminalayi Fubara is doing well in human capacity development, infrastructure, education, healthcare, and general developments without discrimination.
The group urged the people, including the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike to give Fubara the necessary support required for more improved developments in the State.
Speaking, Prof Gobo said, “We are saddened by the distractions that are going on in Rivers State. As parents, lecturers, and senior staff of higher institutions in Rivers State, we can no longer continue to keep quiet and watch our students, some were even our children whom we lectured to continue to cause crisis in the State when other states have moved on”
The group called on the FCT minister, who they said was their student to bring developments to the state from his Ministerial position rather than causing crisis.
“We are stakeholders in Rivers State and will not fold our hands and support the activities going on in Rivers State caused by some individuals, we appeal to Wike to join hands with Fubara to move the State to greater heights ”
Also speaking, an economist and associate professor at Ignatius Ajuru University, Williams Nzidee, said there is nowhere in the world a budget that has passed through all the due processes should be represented.
He urged those calling for budget representation and allegedly manipulating through the court to go and sleep.
He said that as an economist and budget analyst, the system remains a system, and court judgments and orders cannot alter existing systems.
He added: “As an economist, we believe in human capital development and the current administration is doing a lot to empower and improve the standard of living of the people whilst the immediate past administration concentrated only on building flyovers, people who are hungry cannot work on top of flyovers, so this government is balancing developments and requires all the support ”
On his part, Professor B.Nsirika of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, RSU, said, Fubara is the right person and quality leader Rivers needs at the moment
He described him as firm, fearless, and purposeful, who meant well for the citizens of the state.
