Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Martins Amaewhule, have disagreed over the worsening condition of public schools in the state.
Addressing lawmakers on Monday,Amaewhule condemned the deplorable state of facilities across schools and accused the executive arm of neglecting the education sector.
He lamented that, despite several resolutions from the Assembly highlighting the problems, the Fubara administration had failed to take corrective action.
He criticised the governor for prioritising political mobilisation over essential services, saying funds suddenly appear for protests, but not for hiring teachers or fixing schools.
He warned that the Assembly would no longer stay silent while pupils are neglected and teachers are overwhelmed.
He queried how, in 2025, Rivers State could have one teacher handling two classrooms under the same roof, or a school near Government House relying on passers-by to teach due to a lack of staff.
He described the situation as unacceptable and disgraceful, insisting that the indifference must end and that concrete action is overdue.
The speaker punctured the claim of inadequate funding, insisting the state has the resources, pointing out that when the Sole Administrator Ibas left office, he left behind more than ₦600 billion in Rivers State’s accounts.
According to him, with over ₦600 billion available as of October, there was no justification for failing to address the dire state of the schools.
Responding, Governor Fubara said that improving the poor state of education in Rivers State was a top priority of his administration, announcing that the sector would receive the largest allocation in the 2026 budget.
The governor who spoke while declaring open the 123/124 combined quarterly meeting of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers in Port Harcourt, admitted that many schools across the state were in bad shape, stressing that the decay did not happen overnight.
According to him, the deterioration predated his administration and was one of the major issues used by opponents during the 2023 election campaigns.
He said his team was working strategically to reverse the decline, noting that his background in public administration guided his approach to planning and reform.
