Everybody has role to play in building a state – Abe  

Former representative of Rivers South-East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe has said that in building a state, society or community, everybody has a role to play.

Abe disclosed this on Saturday in Port Harcourt, while answering questions during an interactive session with Rivers State Youths and Young Professionals.

The Senator said: “I am part of whatever success that we have had in Rivers State, because I have been in Rivers State politics at least from 1998 till date. And I am also part of whatever failure that we might have had.

“But, in the cause of whatever success or failure that we have put together, we have also acquired experience. We have better ideas; we know the things that did not work and cannot work, we know the things that can work and can be made better.

“The temptation to throw away every old leadership and start afresh will not produce the desired result that we want because somebody starting afresh will have to learn what we already know.”

He stated that it will take collective efforts of all the people of the state to build the Rivers State of our dreams, stating that everything should not be left for the State Governor or those in government.

Abe said: “In building a state, in building a society, in building a community, everybody has a role to play. It is not just the governor or those that are in government. I have said it severally that great cities and great societies are built with sacrifices and efforts of its own people.

“If you want a great society in Rivers State, if you want a great community, if we want a place where our dreams can be pursued and realised, we must be ready to make those sacrifices that will give us those results that we want.

“If we want a great state, we must be prepared, all of us; we must change the way we behave, change the way we approach issues and most importantly, we must do things differently from the way we have done them before. If we continue to do things the way we have done them, do not be surprised that we will get exactly the same result we got before,” he maintained.

In his goodwill message, President of Rivers State Youth Federation, Comrade Godwin Saviour, appealed to leaders of the state, irrespective of political affiliations, to emulate Abe and interact with the people particularly the youths.

Saviour said: “We are here because we want the development of Rivers State in general. We are here also because we want those that have Rivers State at heart.

“We appeal to other leaders, irrespective of party affliction to have a session like this with youths. Our political leaders have been away from the youths.”

In his own goodwill message, Chairman of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Eastern Zone, Comrade Ibim Ibiwari, urged Rivers Youths to see themselves as one as the 2023 election approaches.

Ibiwari said: “As a people we want every Rivers Youth to see themselves as one. Going to this electioneering period, let’s see ourselves as one.”

Earlier in his presentation, a senior lecturer in the Rivers State University, Dr. Sobarikor Lebura, wondered why people talk about the abundant mineral resources in the state without talking about its human resources.

Lebura said: “In Rivers State, we must play politics differently, be open to criticisms. Everything about life and Rivers State is a function of your perspective.

“A lot of people talk about the mineral resources of Rivers State and forget to talk about the human resources. We have people of quality in Rivers State.”