NIGER DELTA WATCH NETWORK (NDWN) COMMEND GOV AMAECHI FOR THE REAPPOINTMENT OF BARR OSIMA GINAH INTO THE STATE EXCO

By Rivers State Action Congress

The Leadership of the Niger Delta Watch Network, comprising of its President, Secretary General and Representatives from each of the States within Niger Delta on 9th June, 2009 paid a visit to Barrister Osima Ginah the erstwhile Commissioner of Urban Development of Rivers State at his Port Harcourt residence to congratulate him on his reappointment as member of the State Executive council. Excerpts of the congratulatory message at the occasion read by its Secretary General, Gogo Ada-Rufus, went thus; “..as a body set up for the purpose of proper monitoring and assessment of the performances of Public Office Holders within the South-South region, we want to formally commend Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi , Executive Governor of Rivers State for the decisive and wise decision in his reappointment of Ginah. Barr. Ginah's reappointment is an acknowledgement and revalidation of his antecedents in administration, love and total commitment towards Rivers State. His reappointment though a welcome development did not come to us as a surprise, as our past assessment of Public Office Holders in the region has always placed him in the forefront, way ahead of his counterparts, as being one of the most consistent articulate and proactive Public office holders in the region.

We are proud of his past conduct considering the responsibilities that accompanied the huge task of urban renewal and redevelopment he was faced with. The record of how he in so short a time, turned Port Harcourt, once regarded, as a garbage city into a civilised and beautiful city is something worth celebrating. We respect his dynamism and all-embracing leadership and by his reappointment into the new Cabinet of Rivers State and ultimately whatever Ministry he may be assigned to, we hope that he will surpass his record as one of the foremost performing Commissioners in the South-South Geo-political Zone in recent times”.

Highlights of the visit to Ginah included a presentation of a distinguished award of Excellence plaque to him in recognition of his resilience and consistency in the face of all the risks he encountered in the course of his stint as Commissioner. The Exco of Niger Delta Watch Network that attended the event were Chief Okoya Warri from Bayelsa State (President), Gogo Ada-Rufus from Rivers State (Secretary General), Kunegba Agbahule from Edo Stae (PRO), Pst. Emmanuel Akpan Bobson (Akwa-Ibom), Abraham F. Iboro (Delta State), Morris Ankuri (Bayelsa State), Bonnie Williams (CRS) among others.

A humbled and delighted Barr Osima Ginah was visibly moved by this gesture and expressed shock over this honour accorded him. He stated that though he had been the recipient of numerous awards in recent times, this honour by the Niger Delta Watch Network,(Distinguished Award of Excellence), was close to his heart since it was an open validation by opinion leaders in the region. He also thanked a number of News organisations in Port Harcourt who “.. In their polls ranked him as their outstanding Commissioner in the last Cabinet...”- They include TopNews, HardTruth, Weekly Star, Independent Monitor, Reformer, Beam and Niger Delta Standard.

Ginah reiterated his readiness to be part of a team that would restore the state to its enviable position in the Nation's polity. He also thanked the AC Leader in Rivers State Prince Tonye Princewill who he referred to as “my Leader and brother”, as well all the Rivers State AC Leaders for the confidence reposed in him by their decision to recommend him to serve in this administration. The fact remains without the support and assistance of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi the visionary Governor of Rivers State who approves my candidature to serve in his Cabinet and gave me all the necessary backing and support, I may not have achieved anything in the last Cabinet, I Pray and hope that the same cooperation given to me by both the Governor and my colleagues in the Cabinet will be extended to me this time around so that collectively we will take Rivers State to the promise land.”

Hon. Badey Suage, the Rivers State AC Chairman who was in attendance at the occasion in his own remarks, thanked the Niger Delta Watch Network for singling out an AC representative in the Cabinet for this unique honour.

To the Rivers AC, Barr. Osima Ginah has been a dynamic Ambassador of the Party in the Unity Government of Amaechi with his antecedents in the last cabinet, We are therefore hopeful that additional slots will be filled by deserving nominees from the AC after the reappointment of Dr. Ibiamu Davies if achievement and commitment are some of the parameters for reconstituting the new cabinet.

It should be noted that Barr Ginah has in the past few months has received the following awards - Int'l Ambassador for Peace by Peace Ambassadors, an interreligious & Inter-ethics World Peace Organisation, Fellow Certified Institute Of Certified Institute of Management, Nigeria Award by Certified Institute of Nigeria, Nigerian Democratic Pillars Merit Award, Sublime Achiever Award by Spynet Communications, Int'l Role Model Leadership Gold Award, Diamond Merit Award for Patriotic Africans, Meritorous Diamond Award for National Development, Africa Leader of Integrity Merit Award by Trailblazers Magazine, Ambassador of Development by National Union of Ogoni Students Worldwide; Developmental Achievers Award by Times International before this particular one that excites him so much by Niger Delta Watch Network,(Distinguished Award of Excellence)

Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze,

Rivers State Action Congress, Publicity Secretary