Ignatius Okorocha, Abuja
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has strongly rejected the directive by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to decorate the First Niger Bridge with photographs of President Bola Tinubu, describing the move as an unacceptable personalisation of a public asset.
HURIWA in a statement signed by its national coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko said the First Niger Bridge belongs to the Nigerian people and must not be converted into a platform for political personality promotion.
The rights group said it was particularly concerned by the minister’s statement directing the Senior Special Assistants to the President in the South-East and South-South to beautify and colour the bridge with photographs of the President.
Umahi had said: “The South-South and South-East SSAs to Mr President, they have to fertilise the bridge. They’ll beautify, they’ll colour it with the President’s pictures.”
According to the minister, the President “deserves to be appreciated” for what he described as the quick intervention and quality of work being undertaken on the bridge but noted that rehabilitation of public infrastructure cannot legitimately be presented as a personal favour by the President.
HURIWA says the First Niger Bridge was not built with the personal resources of President Tinubu, neither is its rehabilitation being financed from his private resources. It is a public infrastructure funded through public resources and therefore belongs to the Nigerian people.
The organisation says government has a constitutional and administrative responsibility to provide, protect and maintain public infrastructure for the common good.
HURIWA therefore rejects any attempt to personalise the bridge to President Tinubu or any other political office holder.
Public infrastructure must remain public. The First Niger Bridge should not become a billboard for the President, the ruling party or any individual politician.
Whether the project was initiated by a previous administration or rehabilitated under the present administration, it remains a national asset. “No President acquires personal ownership of public infrastructure merely because his administration funds its rehabilitation,” it stated.
HURIWA says Nigerians should be allowed to see public projects as investments belonging to them and not as political gifts from individual office holders.
The rights group further warned that the display of political photographs on public infrastructure could blur the distinction between government activities and partisan political promotion.
HURIWA says the Ministry of Works should instead focus on ensuring the structural integrity, safety and durability of the bridge.
The organisation noted that Umahi also directed the removal of unauthorised advertisements from the bridge, installation of additional solar lights, completion of CCTV facilities and an assessment of the bridge above and below the water level.
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