Wike tackles Buhari’s minister for accusing governors of neglecting rural areas

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday dismissed the claim by the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, that state governors concentrate their developmental projects only in the urban areas.

Agba had in a chat with State House correspondents after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC), meeting in Abuja said the governors pay no attention to the development of the rural areas where more people reside.

He noted that projects such as bridges and airports in cities do not improve the lives of the poor people in rural areas while bad roads frustrate the transportation of farm produce to the cities.

Wike, who spoke at the commissioning of the Rumuodogo link road in the Emohua local government area of Rivers State, said all the infrastructural projects in the state are evenly spread.

READ ALSO: Buhari accuses governors of stealing local govt funds

He faulted the minister for relying on half-information on the matter.

The governor said: “When they go on television, they open their mouth and talk anyhow.

“You just sit there — you have not been anywhere to go and check whether the rural roads are being done, and you open your vocal cavity because you have the opportunity as a minister to talk anyhow.

“Come to Rivers State and see whether we are doing roads that will lead to the agricultural produce or not before you open your mouth.

“We are not doing roads in the city; we are doing roads across all the local government areas of this state.”

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