The people of Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State have vehemently condemned the purported upgrading of four fishing settlements, burial ground and plantations to community status by the chairman of the council, Mr. Ojukaye Flag Amachree.
Speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Monday the Paramount Head of Prince Ajaisonari Royal House of Abalama, Alabo Prince Namesake A. Seleya advised the council chairman and his councilors not to play politics with the development of the area.
The paramount head who was the first administrative head of Bekinkiri community wondered the parameter used to upgrade the four fishing settlements plantations and burial ground namely: Abbi-Ama, Kieni-Ama, Atuka-Ama and Idiminabo-Ama by the council.
“Most of these so called politically upgraded communities are burial grounds, plantations and non-existing settlements,” Alabo Prince Seleya alleged.
He however, made case for upgrading of Bekinkiri to a community status, saying that comparing to the newly upgraded settlements, Bekinkiri is better, “because it has so many developmental facilities. For instance it serves as a trading port when the Portuguese landed the new settlement (Buguma) in 1884. Recently the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) provided a transformer and power generating set to the Bekinkiri. I think Bekinkiri is qualified to be upgraded to community status”.
“Let me also state here that the largest poultry farm in Asalga is situated in Bekin kiri,” he said.
He demanded for massive development of communities in Asalga which he said is the only way to enjoy the essence of local government creation in the rural area. ###
