PUBLISHER BERATES BAYELSA GOVT OVER INADEQUATE HUMAN AND CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT
By Jide Dominic, Yenagoa – The Publisher of a flourishing local tabloid in Bayelsa State, the Niger Delta Herald Newspaper, Francis Dufugha has taken a swipe at the Senator Douye Diri led administration in the state over what he described as lack of adequate basic human and capital development across the state.
Francis Dufugha who stated this while addressing news men at the Earnest Ikoli Press Centre in Yenagoa further wondered why the state is still at a crossroad despite the huge revenue accruable to the state from the federal government, stressing that the current level of human and capital development is not commensurate with the resources that come into the state on a monthly basis.
According to him, the language of prosperity being proclaimed by the current administration is nothing to write home about, adding that the prosperity mantra does not reflect in critical sectors of the economy of the state, including agriculture, education, health, commerce and industry, among others.
In his words ” For years, we have been hearing the language of prosperity. But I ask, prosperity for whom? Where is the prosperity in the lives of the ordinary Bayelsan? Where is the prosperity in the lives of unemployed graduates? Where is the prosperity in our hospitals and schools? Where is the human and capital development and massive investment in our young people?, he wondered.
The publisher also noted that the late veteran journalist, Isaac Ombe who died in a ghastly motor accident some months ago at Toru-Orua in Sagbama local government area of the state could not be rescued mainly because of ill-equipped hospitals in the area and other parts of the state which has adversely affected others as regards provisions of adequate health care facilities, insisting that government exists basically to protect the welfare and lives of citizens.
He further frowned at a situation whereby the current political actors and leaders across the state are more pre-occupied with calculations about 2027 elections instead of concentrating on governance that would lead to the socio-economic transformation of the people who elected them into public offices in the first place, noting that the criticisms of the current administration should not be taken as a direct attack or hatred as such constructive criticism is allowed all over the world.
While commenting on the three senatotial roads that are currently ongoing, the relative peace and security across the state and the students loan scheme, the 60mw gas turbine embarked upon by the state government as positive development, the local tabloid publisher commended the state government for such feat, advocating that a lot still needs to be done as the state is bigger than any political actor all over the state.
