Desmond Akawor, former Ambassador to South Korea and Coordinator of Renewed Hope Ambassadors in Rivers State, has said that development in Oyigbo Local Government Area has stalled under Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Akawor made the statement during a “thank you” visit by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to the local government on Monday.
Akawor said residents had elected Fubara expecting that development in Oyigbo would continue from where Wike left off, but he noted that progress in the area has been minimal since Wike left office in 2023. He pointed out that the only tangible outcome for the local government has been the assignment of a commissioner’s position, while other areas of development have seen little improvement.
He also addressed the management of N600 billion in the state treasury, warning that Oyigbo should not be excluded in the distribution of funds. According to him, any allocation must be fairly shared among all groups, including Oyigbo, to prevent a few individuals from dominating the benefits.
During the visit, Akawor thanked Wike for his efforts to restore normalcy in Oyigbo by addressing the disruption caused by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which previously affected communities in the area every Monday. He acknowledged Wike’s intervention in ensuring residents were not harassed or profiled and expressed gratitude for the trust Wike placed in him to mobilize the local people.