CSO to Wike: No More Flyovers, Invest in Human Capital Devt Projects

Blessing Ibunge

A civil society organisation under the aegis of Civil Rights Council (CRC) has advised the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike that instead of constructing more flyovers in Port Harcourt, he should invest in human capital development projects and other economic activities that would create jobs opportunities in the state.

The group stressed that after awarding about 10 flyovers with some still under construction, the governor should consider how to relieve the suffering in the state by meaningfully engaging the teeming jobless youths. 

The State Conference Chairman of CRC, Mr. Arinze Robinson, who spoke with journalists yesterday in Port Harcourt, urged the state governor to concentrate more on lifting the sufferings of Rivers people in order to reduce insecurity in the state. 

According to Robinson, “with an unemployment rate of over 43 per cent and a rising youth population, it is expected that government would invest in human capital development, especially of its youth population, and create an enabling environment for job creation and support for MSMEs, rather than strangle them.” 

He said “We are all aware of the recent announcement by the Governor of Rivers State to embark on the construction of the 11th and 12th flyovers in Rivers state and the subsequent signing of the contracts. 

“The two flyovers will be among the latest of such development efforts of the Rivers State government after awarding 10 flyer overs in the capital city of the state alone, most of which are still under construction.

“While physical cons-tructions and infrastructural development is plausible, we consider the huge resources invested in them too massive and concentrated in small geographical location of the state in the face of rising poverty and poor standard of living of Rivers people. 

“There are also capital budget provisions in the health and education sectors without funding, hence a perpetual recurring of these projects in the yearly budget provision of the state. “While flyovers are good for the aesthetics, an undue focus on the state capital would escalate urban-rural migration thus leading to more infrastructural mastication and more crimes.

“We hereby, advise the state government to reconsider further flyover projects and consider investments in human capital development and other economic ventures that will bring about the employment of the teeming jobless youths of the state.”

Speaking further, he said: “If the huge investments made on the flyovers are deployed in providing gainful investments in building industries and creating employment, we believe that this will reduce insecurity in the state as more hands will be employed reducing the crime rate.”

On social and environment impacts assessment of the intending flyovers area, the group said the government of Rivers State must as a matter of urgency discuss with the community leaders, residents, and landlords of the affected places to understand their stance on the conceived projects.

On the ASUU strike, the CRC condemned the “lackadaisical attitude of the Federal Government in resolving the Labour crisis.”

The group added: “No serious leadership anywhere in the world will allow the universities to be shut down indefinitely without taking proactive steps to resolve whatever is the cause of the standoff.”