Although it has recorded only one case of Coronavirus since the outbreak in Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to accord Rivers State same magnanimity it gives to Lagos State government.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government released N10billion to the Lagos State government to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus, which had recorded the highest number of infected persons thereby making Lagos the epicentre of the virus in Nigeria.
Speaking exclusively in a telephone interview from Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Emma Anyanwu, said he could not see why the Federal Government should always ignore Rivers State in the scheme of things despite its importance to national economy.
Anyanwu said the fact that Rivers State had been the hub of the nation’s oil and gas with heavy human traffic, it deserved to have a well-equipped medical laboratory to check the spread of the Coronavirus, adding that its critical position in the country made it necessary to have a good laboratory and other medical facilities.
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“Rivers State is very critical to the economic interest of Nigeria. This is the hub of oil and gas in Nigeria. This state deserves to be treated the same way the Federal Government treats Lagos State.
“The bulk of the wealth of Nigeria comes from Rivers State. As I speak to you now, there is no tangible project established in Rivers State by the Buhari government.
“If anybody hates Governor Nyesom Wike, must they also hate the Rivers people? Why must the president continue to play party politics, even after elections?
“The president should know that governance is for the people and not for party (APC). President Buhari has demonstrated that he is for his party and not for governance,” he said.