The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has accused the Federal Government of politicising efforts to contain the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria.
He disclosed this in a Sunday broadcast, claiming that the state has not received any support from the Federal Government despite its contributions to the national purse.
In a reference to the N10 billion emergency intervention fund released to Lagos, Wike said that some states were being favoured over others.
He noted that despite the exclusion of Rivers, the Federal Government has continued to endanger the state by flying expatriates into Rivers State.
He said: “It is quite unfortunate that the containment of coronavirus has been politicised by the Federal Government. While Lagos State received a grant of N10billion as a commercial hub, Rivers State as the nation’s oil and gas hub that produces a greater percentage of the nation’s wealth has not received any support from the Federal Government.
“One wonders why Federal Government should single out a state out of 36 States to give support. Does it mean that support will come when a State has a record of over 50 infected persons before it gets support? No state should be seen as more important than any other state. This is a Federal Republic. No state is superior to others.
“Rivers State is entitled to support from the Federal Government. Every day, we are inundated with letters from the Federal Government to allow oil companies to fly in expatriates to drill Oil. Then we ask, what is the status of those coming from Lagos? Nobody has told us their status as regards coronavirus.
“If they come to come Rivers without us knowing their status, what will be implication assuming they have the virus.”
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