Governance in Rivers State has become so opaque that only fortune tellers could decipher it. The state government rarely communicates with its people, leaving citizens in the dark about major decisions and policies.
There's no commissioner of information fielding tough questions. Instead, a chief press secretary simply relays what Governor Siminalayi Fubara wants said, with no room for scrutiny or debate.
Governor Fubara bears some responsibility, but not all. Lawmakers rejected several of his commissioner nominees, allegedly because they played roles in the ongoing feud with Nyesom Wike, their political leader.
Residents struggle to understand the state's actual budget, when it begins, or when it ends. Since 2026, the Rivers State House of Assembly has convened mainly to discuss impeachment attempts against the governor.
Last Thursday, the Assembly finally met again after a three-month break. The governor used the session to submit what he called the 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework.
Martin Amaewhule, the Speaker who's expected to become a federal representative, announced the receipt of the document during an emergency plenary. The House had adjourned in February 2026 after screening and confirming the governor's commissioner nominees.
Lawmakers deferred debate on the MTEF to the next legislative day for thorough examination, according to reports.
The Assembly also received a petition from Ngo-Oyorokoto Communities Stakeholders. Ofiks Kagbang, representing Andoni Constituency, presented the request asking the House to investigate why work stopped on the Ngo-Oyorokoto Atlantic Road Project.
The governor's submission marks a rare moment of engagement between the executive and legislative branches. Yet it signals little about actual accountability or transparency.
The MTEF serves a critical function in budget planning. It outlines fiscal projections and policy direction that shape future spending in the state.
For a three-year economic roadmap of an oil-rich state, the absence of public communication is staggering. Nobody outside government knows what's in the document because officials haven't released it.
The chief press secretary's office didn't provide copies to reporters. No government statement explained the framework's contents or implications.
Without public access, analysis becomes impossible. Journalists can't interpret policy they can't read.
Now, those covering Rivers State turn to social media for information. Only insiders with access to power circles post details online.
This wasn't how Rivers State governed in the past. The silent system now in place keeps citizens excluded from decisions affecting their futures.
