AMAECHI:
100
DAYS
OF
THE
REBIRTH
OF
THE
NEW
RIVERS
STATE
.
By
Eze
Chukwuemeka
Eze
History
was
made
on
October
25,
2007
when
the
Country’s
Supreme
Court,
in
a
landmark
decision
directed
that
Rt.
Hon.
Chibuike
Rotimi
Amaechi
be
sworn
in
immediately
as
the
Governor
of
Rivers
State
even
though
he
did
not
contest
the
April’s
polls
in
person.
Hon.
Amaechi
as
the
records
shows
was
a
victim
of
the
highhandedness
of
PDP
under
the
manipulative
leadership
of
the
then
President
of
Nigeria,
General
Olusegun
Obasanjo
and
his
cohorts
when
he
was
unjustly
substituted
with
Sir
Celestine
Omehia
as
the
PDP
candidate
for
the
April’s
general
election
in
Rivers
State.
The
former
President
has
to
describe
his
election
as
PDP
flag-bearer
in
Rivers
State
then
as
having
a
k-leg
which
after
his
swearing
–in
–
ceremony
as
Governor,
Amaechi
stated
that
his
k-leg
has
being
straightened
by
the
Judiciary.
Having
watched
Gov.
Amaechi
at
a
very
close
range
these
past
100
days
as
the
new
helmsman
of
Rivers
State
and
after
reading
some
of
the
unsatisfactory
and
uncomplimentary
reports
of
his
100
days
in
office
by
some
friends
and
colleagues;
it
becomes
imperative
that
the
records
should
be
properly
straightened
to
avoid
misleading
the
general
public
on
this
young
man's
achievement
within
100
days
in
office
and
probably
project
into
the
future.
This
is
in
line
with
the
now
established
custom
to
assess
our
leaders
after
100
days
in
office.
This
practice,
as
far
as
I
can
remember
dates
back
to
1815
when
Napoleon
was
assumed
to
have
spent
100
days
in
Paris
after
escaping
from
exile.
Another
major
mention
of
100
days
in
office
in
history
was
in
1933
when
U.S.
Presidential
historian
Mr.
Richard
Nixon
recorded
the
uneventful
100
days
of
President
George
Washington.
But
the
most
celebrated
by
a
political
Leaders
was
during
the
presidency
of
Franklin
Roosevelt
of
America
who
initiated
a
lot
of
developmental
bills
which
gave
America
a
new
look
in
terms
of
quality
Leadership.
Only
the
lion-hearted
person
can
do
much
within
100
days
under
the
circumstances
that
brought
Gov.
Amaechi
to
power,
as
the
contending
forces
alone
are
not
only
overwhelming
but
can
consume
any
leader
but
as
a
determined
and
focused
leader,
who
is
destined
to
leave
his
foot
print
in
the
sands
of
time,
Amaechi
used
this
period
to
lay
the
foundation
for
the
rebirth
of
a
new
Rivers
State.
His
first
major
step
was
the
harnessing
and
grouping
of
most
divergent
interests
in
the
State
into
the
28-man
Advisory
Council
to
put
together
an
economic
blue
print
for
the
development
of
the
State
under
the
headship
of
an
astute
academic,
Prof
Nimi
Briggs.
In
pursuance
of
populist
governance
in
Rivers
State
,
Governor
Amaechi
had
within
this
period
presented
three
innovative
bills
that
will
revolutionize
administration
in
the
State.
These
are
-
The
Bill
for
the
Establishment
of
the
Rivers
State
Maintenance
Agency,
The
Public
Procurement
Bill
2007
to
regulate
public
expenditures
and
The
Bill
for
Rivers
State
Compulsory
Savings.
Highlighting
these
Bills,
Hon.
Tonye
Harry,
the
Rivers
State
House
of
Assembly
Speaker
stated
that
formerly,
road
rehabilitation
and
construction
were
solely
the
responsibility
of
the
State
Ministry
of
Transport
but
with
the
new
Bill
on
the
establishment
of
Road
Maintenance
Agency
the
process
of
repairs,
construction
and
maintenance
of
all
roads
across
the
State
would
now
be
regulated.
This
will
end
the
era
of
bad
roads
and
unsatisfactory
road
project
execution
by
Contractors.
According
to
the
Speaker,
the
bill
seeking
for
the
compulsory
savings
when
signed
into
Law
would
enable
the
State
Government
to
invest
the
sum
of
N1
Billion
monthly.
The
Procurement
Bill
would
bring
due
process
into
the
system
by
guaranteeing
transparency,
honesty
and
reduce
nepotism,
corruption
and
financial
hemorrhage.
This
step
notwithstanding,
Gov.
Amaechi
had
set
up
a
Task
Force
on
Road
Rehabilitation
and
released
an
initial
take-off
grant
of
N2
billion
Naira
which
according
to
its
Chairman,
Mr.
Chidi
Wihioka
has
being
used
to
rehabilitate
70%
of
the
bad
roads
in
Port
Harcourt
as
at
December,
2007.
During
an
Educational
Summit
in
the
State
within
the
period
under
review;
Governor
Amaechi
stated
that
Rivers
Government
will
build
48
mega
schools
with
plans
to
motivate
teachers,
improve
manpower
as
well
introduce
guidance
and
counseling
departments
in
all
the
secondary
schools.
Amaechi
who
lamented
that
many
schools
are
in
a
state
of
disrepair,
many
classrooms
are
overcrowded
and
good
teachers
are
in
short
supply.
There
is
a
drop
in
school
enrollment
especially
among
male
students.
Students
leave
school
without
acquiring
skills
and
therefore
unable
to
secure
jobs.
To
actualize
this
capital
intensive
project,
Governor
Amaechi
has
provided
for
its
execution
in
the
2008
Budget
that
may
be
passed
by
the
State
Assembly
before
the
end
of
February,
2008.
In
considering
the
enviable
contributions
Gov.
Amaechi
had
made
in
enriching
our
judiciary
and
enhancement
of
our
democracy,
the
Sun
Newspaper
considered
him
alongside
the
Governor
of
Anambra
State,
Mr.
Peter
Obi
for
the
prestigious
award
of
the
Sun’s
2007
Man-
of-
the
-year
award.
Prince
Tonye
Princewill,
the
AC
strong
man
in
Rivers
State
congratulated
the
Publisher
and
the
Editorial
Team
of
the
Sun
Magazine
for
choosing
the
Rivers
State
Governor,
Hon.
Chibuike
Rotimi
Amaechi
as
its
‘Man
of
the
Year
for
the
year
2007.
To
him,
he
felt
that
his
choice
by
this
great
tabloid
was
a
choice
in
the
right
direction.
Apart
from
his
doggedness
and
forthrightness
in
pursuing
his
fundamental
human
rights,
he
has
by
this
struggle
enriched
not
only
our
democratic
institution
and
culture
but
the
judiciary
system
of
Nigeria
.
This
one-
man-
riot-
squad,
who
believes
in
the
total
emancipation
of
Rivers
State
,
put
his
life
on
line
in
order
to
wrest
Rivers
State
from
the
hands
of
a
deadly
clique
that
has
held
the
State
and
her
people
hostage
these
past
eight
years.
That
historic
verdict
has
rekindled
Nigerians
believe
and
hope
in
the
judiciary
and
our
democratic
experiments’,
he
concluded.
Within
the
period
under
review
the
salaries
of
the
Civil
servants
have
being
increased
by
15%
while
most
of
their
entitlements
are
now
paid
regularly.
The
Chairman
of
the
State’s
Civil
Service
Commission,
Prince
Mene
Nzidee
attested
to
this
when
he
disclosed
to
journalists
in
Port
Harcourt
that
apart
from
this
increment,
the
government
of
Gov.
Amaechi
paid
N40,
000
Christmas
bonus
to
each
civil
servant
first
of
such
act
in
any
other
State
in
Nigeria.
The
scholarship
and
bursary
allowances
due
to
our
students
are
now
collected
without
perpetrating
fraud.
The
period
of
Rivers
State
acting
as
‘father
Christmas’
to
all
manners
of
groups
and
individuals,
a
gesture
through
which
the
State
funds
were
used
to
pursue
fraudulent
ambition
to
the
detriment
of
Rivers
State
people
has
been
stopped.
Programs
are
now
designed
putting
the
interest
of
the
State
first
while
Contracts
are
now
awarded
to
reputable
organizations
that
has
link
to
our
people
unlike
in
the
past
where
questionable
Contractors
are
brought
to
the
State
from
outside
and
used
to
siphon
our
State
funds.
The
list
of
the
unemployed
undergraduates
in
the
State
is
currently
being
compiled
for
immediate
employment.
The
power
sector
which
had
been
in
a
comatose
state
in
the
recent
past
despite
the
existence
of
gas
turbines
in
the
State
will
receive
more
attention
during
the
fiscal
year
as
a
way
of
strengthening
the
State’s
economy.
Today,
through
Prince
Tonye
Princewill’s
efforts
a
dependable
partner
of
Gov.
Amaechi;
the
private
and
public
sectors
are
now
ready
to
unite
to
move
the
State
forward.
Already
that
effort
is
yielding
fruits
as
Clintoch
Diagnostic
and
Pharmaceutical
Inc
based
in
Canada
signed
an
MOU
with
the
State
Government
to
build
a
mega,
unique
and
first
class
equipped
specialist
hospital
with
one
thousand
bed
space.
The
hospital
will
deal
with
internal
medicine,
obstetrics,
gynecology,
surgery
and
pediatrics
and
is
expected
to
provide
clinical
capacity,
managerial
and
quality
control
management,
training
and
employment
of
indigenes
of
the
State.
The
hospital
will
provide
international
standard
health
care
facilities
that
will
meet
the
need
of
every
Nigerian
desiring
the
best
medical
attention
which
will
compete
with
those
hospitals
in
Europe,
America
or
any
part
of
the
globe.
Clinotech
will
be
investing
60
million
dollars
in
the
first
phase
and
$135
million
in
the
second
phase
while
Rivers
State
Government
will
be
investing
40
million
dollars
and
provide.
Clintoch
is
managed
by
Dr.
Harrison
Ofiyai
a
renowned
son
of
Niger
Delta
whose
products
are
well
appreciated
all
over
the
world.
With
time
he
is
expected
to
build
the
company’s
factory
so
that
most
of
their
products
produced
in
foreign
countries
will
be
produced
in
Rivers
State
.
Bringing
this
great
son
of
ours
back
to
the
region
after
spending
30
years
outside
the
shores
of
our
country
is
a
monumental
feat
on
the
side
of
Gov.
Amaechi
and
Princewill.
Apart
from
the
above
feat,
the
Silver
Bird
Group,
a
private
entertainment
outfit
in
Nigeria
is
to
partner
with
the
Rivers
State
Government
to
construct
a
Multi-Purpose
Entertainment
Park
in
Port
Harcourt
worth
about
N20
billion.
This
project
is
expected
to
transform
the
area
around
the
Isaac
Boro
Park
and
the
Cultural
Centre
to
a
world
class
Multi-Purpose
Entertainment
Park
and
the
State
to
a
true
modern
Garden
city.
The
project
will
have
a
shopping
mall,
Conference
Centre,
a
5-star
hotel,
an
amusement
park
and
a
large
parking
space
for
1,000
cars
and
also
promote
tourism
in
the
State.
This
project
apart
from
creating
the
first
modern
tourism
centre
in
the
State
will
create
over
one
thousand
jobs
for
our
youths
when
completed.
The
over
20
Billion
Naira
private
initiative
is
to
be
executed
with
85%
labour
and
material
contents
provided
by
the
people
of
the
State
which
will
go
a
long
way
to
provide
bread
on
the
tables
of
many
Rivers
State
families
and
according
to
Tonye
Princewill
in
a
recent
interview
these
initiatives
will
create
about
five
thousand
jobs
for
our
unemployed
youths
and
reduce
the
menace
of
youths
restiveness
in
the
State.
All
these
life-touching
projects
are
covered
in
the
State
Budget
before
the
State
House
of
Assembly
On
the
nuisance
Okada
as
a
means
of
transportation
has
constituted
in
the
Rivers
State
the
Governor
said
at
a
recent
State
Transport
Summit
held
in
the
State
that
he
was
"ready
to
ban
commercial
motorcycles
in
Rivers
State,
even
today,
if
we
find
viable
alternatives"
to
Okada.
He
said
the
odds
of
the
commercial
cyclists
outweighs
the
advantages
"because
of
the
many
deaths
associated
with
motorcycles,
robbery
on
bike,
broken
limbs
and
permanent
disabilities"
caused
by
reckless
bike
riders
in
the
state.
Gov.
Rotimi
Amaechi
of
Rivers
State
has
said
his
administration
plans
to
build
four
new
cities
which
will
de-congest
the
city
of
Port
Harcourt
.
A
master
plan
has
been
designed
for
the
whole
of
Port
Harcourt
and
plans
to
build
more
roads.
A
ring
road
that
would
cost
the
State
over
a
hundred
billion
Naira
will
be
executed
to
assist
in
this
regard
The
new
greater
Port
Harcourt
and
other
three
new
cities
to
be
built
to
decongest
Port
Harcourt
are
to
be
sited
around
the
international
airport;
the
Iriebe
city
will
be
at
the
old
toll
gate,
while
the
Energy
City
to
house
most
of
the
oil
companies
will
be
located
at
an
island
while
the
fourth
city
will
be
situated
at
Isaka.
All
these
are
geared
at
decongesting
the
over
congested
Port
Harcourt
.
Some
of
the
viable
projects
initiated
by
his
predecessor
are
receiving
adequate
attention
like
the
on-going
fly-over
project
in
the
State
capital.
This
is
a
true
revolution
aimed
at
changing
the
face
of
Rivers
State
positively!
Governor
Rotimi
Amaechi
is
committed
to
peace,
unity
and
development
of
the
State
through
dialogue
and
overtures
to
aggrieved
persons
and
organizations.
The
formation
of
Peace,
Reconciliation
and
Truth
Commission
by
Governor
Amaechi
is
a
commendable,
sincere
and
pragmatic
step
in
the
right
direction.
This
Commission
at
the
last
count
has
received
from
the
general
public
about
108
memoranda.
For
Gov.
Amaechi
to
have
subdued
militancy
in
the
State
particularly
subjecting
Tom
Ateke
the
Leader
of
the
dreaded
Niger
Delta
Vigilant
Group
(NDVG)
to
toe
the
path
of
Peace
by
visiting
and
supervising
the
destruction
of
the
evil
forest
at
Okirika
and
erection
of
an
ultra-modern
hospital
in
its
place
shows
the
stuff
the
Governor
is
made
up.
Today,
Ateke
has
directed
all
his
members
in
the
NDVG
to
team-up
with
the
Niger
Delta
Non-
violent
Movement
(NDNM
to
now
fight
for
peace
in
Rivers
State
instead
of
maiming
Rivers
people.
To
realize
all
these
projects,
Governor
Rotimi
Amaechi
of
Rivers
State
had
presented
a
budget
of
N280,
081,134.099
which
he
intends
to
use
to
start
the
rebuilding
of
a
new
Rivers
State
.
He
said
that
he
is
in
a
hurry
to
develop
the
State
and
restore
it
to
its
past
vision
of
the
founding
fathers.
The
Governor
has
divided
the
sectors
to
be
tackled
under
the
budget
into
three
where
the
economic
sector
has
N101,652,160,050
representing
36.29
percent.,
the
Social
sector
has
N139,
358,122,050
or
49.76
percent
and
the
Environmental
sector
N39,
070,851,099or
13.95
percent.
Finally,
the
fact
remains
that
it
will
be
highly
impossible
to
recall
all
that
this
visionary
has
done
to
alleviate
the
suffering
of
the
people
of
Rivers
State
as
it
is
also
very
obvious
that
not
many
individuals
would
have
had
the
composure,
grace
and
wisdom
to
adapt
easily
to
the
rudiments
of
governance
and
achieve
the
much
Governor
Amaechi
has
so
far
achieved
in
his
first
one
hundred
days,
considering
the
excruciating
hurdles
he
scaled
through
few
months
back
to
mount
the
saddle.
He
truly
deserves
a
pat
on
the
back
and
the
support
of
all
Rivers
State
people
in
order
to
achieve
more
particularly
now
that
it
has
being
obvious
that
he
will
rule
the
State
till
October,
2011
considering
the
withdrawal
of
the
case
instituted
by
Dr.
Abiye
Sekibo
against
the
ruling
of
the
Supreme
Court
declaring
Amaechi
as
Rivers
State
Governor
and
the
no
case
situation
of
the
petitioners
before
the
Election
Tribunal.
This
sacrosanct
fact
makes
the
thinking
in
some
quarters
that
Amaechi’s
government
is
a
transition
government
a
wishful
thinking
in
the
minds
of
deluded
personalities.
To
achieve
all
these
and
still
be
termed
to
be
a
‘roving
and
go-slow
governor’
is
to
me
mischievous
and
a
futile
attempt
to
misguide
the
Rivers
State
and
the
general
public.
100
days
in
office
may
not
be
enough
to
judge
a
government,
but
from
what
Amaechi
has
achieved
within
this
short
period
couple
with
the
undiluted
alliance
with
another
great
mind
in
the
Person
of
Tonye
Princewill
the
sky
is
truly
the
limits
of
the
new
Rivers
State
’s
glory.
Eze
Chukwuemeka
Eze
is
a
Media
Consultant
based
in
Port
Harcourt
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