Rivers State Economy Is Dead, APGA Governorship Candidate Declares

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Rivers State, Prince Ugo Beke, has come out to declare that the economy of the state is dead.

According to him, despite all the claims of infrastructural development in the state by Governor Nyesom Wike-led administration, the majority of its people are languishing in poverty.

Naija News gathered that Beke told Guardian that if indeed the state is working, the level of poverty shouldn’t be so high.

Beke said the situation has birthed a lot of criminals in the state because there is no employment to engage the youth, and that is the lack of performance of a government that turned many into criminals.

The Rivers APGA governorship candidate noted that one cannot govern successfully without a policy and project manual to serve as guidance.

He queried that “How has Wike performed in the 23 local governments of Rivers State? Everything is dead. The economy of Rivers State is dead. Trans Amadi where my father owned one of the largest industries is dead. Michelin has left and many others have. The poverty rate in Rivers State is over 95%.

“What is the infrastructural development they are talking about; from one side of Aba road to the other side of Aba Road? That is below three per cent of the entire state; an entire state with a voting population of 3.7 million, people say the unemployment rate is 45% in the state, but I do not agree with that.

“I think it is about 80% because nothing really is happening in Rivers State. That is why you see that there are more political jobbers in the state; there are many criminals and those into kidnapping because there are no jobs. No man was born a criminal; it is the lack of performance of a government that turned many into criminals. So, if Rivers State is really working, you cannot have that high level of poverty.

“Flooding just happened in Rivers State, go there and see the level of health hazards. Life expectancy in Rivers is below 45 years old. One of the reasons is because of environmental pollution owing to the breaking of pipes and soot. If the state is working, will you have people go and do something they know is unlawful?”