A Former Commissioner for Housing in Rivers state, Gift Worlu has alleged that while in was in the cabinet of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, he had no idea that they were going to present the 2024 budget to the Oko-Jumbo led assembly. He argued that every commissioner was expected to go and defend their budget before the Rivers State Assembly.
He criticized the governor’s tendency to work alone and rely on a few Assembly members. He specifically highlighted the questionable passage of the 2024 budget, which was approved overnight by the Oko-Jumbo led assembly. He emphasized that the Rivers State government should prioritize the interests of Rivers people.
He said in an interview with Channels TV from 22:45, ‘Rivers state does not belong to Governor Siminalayi Fubara; it belongs to Rivers people. He’s our governor, but he has to follow the law and work with other people. He wants to work alone and is comfortable with the three so-called Assembly members who are like his errand boys. He tells them what to do, and they do it – even overnight, the 2024 budget was passed overnight.
I was in the cabinet then, but I didn’t even know that we were going to present a budget. Ordinarily, every commissioner was supposed to go and defend their budget before the State Assembly, but that didn’t happen. Do you call that a budget? Do you call that a democratic government? Do you say that the government cares about Rivers people and their future? The answer is no.'”