THE RIVERS STATE AC REJOICES WITH GOV ROTIMI AMAECHI AS HE TURNS 44

By ACTION CONGRESS AC

The Rivers State AC rejoices with the peoples' Governor, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State as he turns 44 today, 27th May, 2009. That his birthday tallies with the birthday of our State, Rivers State is not a mere coincidence but the guiding force behind his resilience and commitment at ensuring the accelerated development of the state. He stands out as a study in the redefinition of leadership in Nigeria. In just two years at the helms of affairs of the State, he has been able to achieve and ultimately supersede what Odili and Omehia could not achieve in their eight years plus tenure as Governors of Rivers State.


Today, we have a Governor that does not rest on his oars but always poised to take positive measures to reposition the state as one of the best in Nigeria. In addition to being honoured as the Sun Newspaper's man of the year in 2007, he has embarked upon the construction of over 185 roads in the rural and urban areas of the state and Currently plans are being concluded for the electrification of no less than 376 Communities by the end of this year. He has ordered for additional equipment and contracted expert vendors for the completion of the moribund turbines initiated by his predecessors.


Whilst we differ in opinion with regard to State security matters, we however applaud the setting up of the Social Rehabilitation Committee (SRC), headed by one-time Director General of the State Security Service (SSS), Chief Albert Horsfall to engage hitherto cultists. He has done much to ensure the return of peace to the State. In the Health Sector, he has begun the construction of 154 modern hospitals across the State. A 250-bed modern hospital is to replace the old Niger Delta hospital, while a new five-storey Dental hospital currently at advanced stage of construction is to replace the old Dental hospital.


His total commitment to the Private Public Participation Initiative (PPP), has fetched the State foreign Investment in the region of over 150 Billion Naira. A major dividend in this regard is the signing of the Memorandum Of Understanding between Clintoch Diagnostic and Pharmaceutical Inc, Canada and the State Government to build a 1000 bed space, mega, first class, fully equipped specialist hospital to be named after Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte. The hospital is expected to provide international standard health care facilities that will rival those of hospitals in Europe, America or any part of the globe. With the commissioning by the State Government of the Rivers State Government Emergency Call Centre and by last April of the Silver Bird Cinema Theatre Port Harcourt, a joint venture between the state and the Silver Bird Entertainment Group. This Multi-Purpose Entertainment Park in Port Harcourt worth about N20 billion is expected to transform the area around the Isaac Boro Park and the Cultural Centre to a world class Multi-Purpose Entertainment Park and PortHarcourt 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 youths when completed.


Other worthy ventures in this regard include a new mother and children's hospital to be commissioned by June 2010. Also in the pipeline is the construction of a 30,000 shops International Market with a Police Station, Clinic, Fire Service Station with Banking facility and a high rise parking space at Akpajo near Eleme in Rivers State.

Considering the innovative and pragmatic leadership zeal of this great son of Rivers State about 45 political parties have joined forces with him through his bosom friend, Prince Tonye Princewill the Rivers State AC Leader.


Vice President Goodluck Jonathan captured what Amaechi is made up of when he stated at a recent luncheon organised as part of the burial obsequies of the of late Senator Melford Okilo, first civilian Governor of the old Rivers State; “The fact remains that Rivers State has become the cynosure of the world due its Urban Renewal agenda and demolition exercise. If the tempo is sustained, in ten years time, Rivers State will become a reference point in how a modern city should be. Rt. Hon. Amaechi has proved that he is truly in love with Rivers State.


For the first time since the creation of PDP they had a semblance of democracy at its just concluded convention with Amaechi's appointment as Chairman of the Convention. His recent appointment as the Head of the Committee to ensure the qualification of Nigeria to the 2010 world cup in South Africa, may very well signify a ray of hope for Nigerians.


Sadly, Amaechi's administration is not giving as much media attention as it deserves. We hope that such lapses will be corrected with the recent appointment of a seasoned journalist David Iyofor as the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Media and Publicity, who until his appointment served as Media Consultant to the Governor.


Finally, the fact remains that Amaechi of Rivers State. Fashola of Lagos and Oshimohole of Edo State have proved that there is still hope in Nigeria's democracy as the so called ten years of undisrupted democracy under PDP is just tales of woes for Nigeria and Nigerians and it is only God that will save us from the poverty induced party and the inept leadership it has serve the nation these past ten years.


Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze,
Rivers State Action Congress, Publicity Secretary