PRESS RELEASE
Protocol
A word they say, ‘is enough for the wise’, maybe the lack of this one word has been the reason our leaders have lagged behind in development projects that would better the lots of the nation equally. We are pleased that we now have leaders who have that ‘one word’ that will make things better in this country.
We, leaders and members of South South Youths Initiative, SSYI, are pleased that the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Siminialaye Fubara, has come open to criticize the Federal Government for awarding the Pipeline Surveillance Contract to only one man in the Niger Delta. It is a welcomed development. This ‘one-man-show’ business has been the very reason the war against oil theft has been faced with a lot of challenges. Like Governor Fubara Criticized, it will be better if the contract is split among stakeholders in the region, especially, from nine states that make up the Oil rich Niger Delta region and then to the different ethnic groups. We true want to commend him for seeing the mistakes of others.
It is important to noted that those who criticize you are not your enemies, rather they are those who want you to succeed and want better deals for every citizen, and for all component part of the nation and the state.
However, a popular parlance has it that ‘before you remove the beam in another man’s eyes, you should first remove same from yours’. We are pleased that Gov. Fubara has been able to identify where the Federal Government has failed, but he has failed to first identify where he himself has failed the state and correct his steps.
Gov. Fubara should have first identified that he has recycled old politicians into the State Executive Council and failed to bring youths into the administration. He should identify this mistake of not involving youths in his administration’s decisions making, policy formulation and programme implementations. We are worried that Fubara who is averse to ‘one-man-show’ is here running ‘old-men-show’ in Rivers State. We are not happy that He has not made youths the vital part of his administration.
There are many youths from the state, even from his political party, who have worked for the party, who should be in good policy making positions, but Fubara has not been able to bring them into his administration. We can categorically state that the administration of Siminalaye Fubara’s is one sided.
By this, we can state without mincing words that the Rivers State Government has also been one sided. If Gov. Fubara must remove the lump in another man’s eyes, he should first learn to remove same thing from his eyes first. It is good to correct the mistakes of others, but it is also very good that you identify your mistakes and correct it too.
Gov. Fubara cannot be running an administration that is not holistic in its decisions and programmes. Fubara should think beyond the recycled politicians imposed on him by his predecessor, and bring youths into his administration to take up major responsibilities. The governor should think on how to make every ethnic group in the state to be in the mainstream for equitable distribution of developmental projects. The governor should make sure that youths are not just involved in the administration, but that they are made a very important part of the government.
At this moment, the leadership of Rivers State is beyond party, the governor has to look beyond party lines in his policies and programmes, this is the only way his administration can record success.
The South South Youths Initiative, SSYI, also wants Gov. Fubara to know that his synergy with youths is the only way he can achieve success that is holistic. His 100 days in office is fast approaching and we are yet to see any visible policy, programme of project of this administration has achieved. We want his 100 days in office to be visible and memorable. We are counting on Gov. Fubara hoping that the state will be better than it was when he took over. We only expect that he removes the cockroaches in his cupboard before going to help others remove theirs.
Signed;
Comrade Imeabe Saviour Oscar
National President
SOUTH-SOUTH YOUTHS INITIATIVE
