Chief Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, on Sunday claimed that the containment of coronavirus has been politicized in Nigeria.
The governor, in a statement, lamented that Rivers State had not received any support from the government despite its contribution to the nation’s wealth.
Wike making reference to the N10bn grant given to Lagos state, said some states were being given more attention than others.
The Federal Government on March 27, 2020, released 10 Billion Naira to Lagos State and 5 billion Naira special intervention funds to NCDC to equip and provide personnel to its facilities and laboratories across the country.
The statement read in part: “It is unfortunate that the containment of coronavirus has been politicized 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.”
Wike stressed that no state should be seen as more important than the other despite not having up to fifty persons infected with COVID-19.
He lamented that despite the exclusion of Rivers, the Federal Government had continued to fly in expatriates to drill oil and endanger the state.
“One wonders why the 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,” the statement added.
