Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara has lamented the destructive effects of what he described as “politics of bitterness’ in the state.
Fubara cautioned politicians to be circumspect with their politicking activities so as not to deliberately undermine the peace and economic growth prospects of the state and the nation at large.
Fubara stated this when he received a delegation of the House of Representatives Committee on Ports and Harbours, led by its chairman, Nnolim Nnaji, at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
A statement the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, said the delegation was in Rivers to carry out oversight functions at the Port Harcourt and Onne sea ports and Bonny channels.
According to the governor, the sea ports remained essential facilities that would contribute to harvesting the rich gains of the blue economy, adding that those who were delighted to see them inactive and moribund did not mean well for the state and the country.
“About nine years ago, if you understand the calculation; somebody here was the senior Minister of Transport, and nothing happened at our ports. Every progress that was supported to come to the sea ports here, because of bitter politics, was stopped. That is why our ports are moribund today.
“Today, after another eight years, which this other person suffered, we have entered into another similar era. If you love this state, it is normal to support everything that will bring progress and development to this state.
“It is not about who is sitting here today. It is about the state. If the state continues to go down, what is the interest? The only reason why we are struggling is because of the allocation,” he said.
Fubara insisted that politics should be rightly situated as a game with a winner to emerge at any particular time and the unlucky ones should not indulge in acts to destroy the system.
The governor told members of the committee that his administration was determined to give the requisite support that would lead to a total revamp of all the sea ports and Blue Sea commercial channels in the state.