Rivers: AC Dismisses Speculation On Demolition Exercise

Contrary to speculation that the ongoing demolition in Rivers State has been directed to perceived political enemies, Action Congress(AC), says their party leader’s official residence located at the Government Reserve Area (GRA), has been earmarked too for demolition.
In a statement issued on line by the State Secretary of the Party, Hon. Okis Bob-Manuel, explained that members of the task force on illegal structures in the state Ministry of Urban Development visited their party leader’s Government House official residence and marked the dreaded ‘X’ on the walls of the residence.
He stated that the Commissioner for Urban Development, Barrister Osima Ginah, who lead the team was AC representative on Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s cabinet.
Worse still, he noted, Ginah was nominated by the AC party leader, Prince Tonye Princewill, to join the Unity Government of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led administration in the state.
Yet, the walls of the official residence of his party leader was earmarked for demolition, with a threat to pull down within two weeks, or face the wrath of the government.
When contacted, Barrister Osima Ginah says, Prince Tonye Princewill is his brother, leader and close associate, insisting that, “he did not send him to the state cabinet to be biased in his official functions”.
In his words: “I will personally oversee that the task force ensure that the efforts of the Gov. Amaechi’s led administration to restore Port Harcourt to its garden city status are not thwarted in any form by anybody including my party leader”.
Ginah, also AC stalwart, argued that Prince Tonye Princewill was a party to the decision culminating in the on-going efforts of the Amaechi’s administration to restore the beauty and aesthetical value of Port Harcourt.
Therefore he said, his party leader would not protest the ministry’s two week ultimatum that he reduces the fence of his official residence located at the former Deputy Governor’s residence.
The commissioner admitted that the walls of his official residence had earlier been earmarked for demolition, thereby putting to rest speculations from articulated quarters that the ongoing demolition was an exercise of vendetta directed at real or perceived enemies of the government.
But he said, the demotion exercise, was a concerted effort to take the state to the next level.
Ginah reiterated his ministry’s desperate resolve to ensuring the implementation of the urban renewal policy of the administration.
He expressed delight at the response by most residents in old GRA and gave special kudos to the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Bala Hassan, the National Organising Secretary of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike for the quick compliance in reconstructing their fences.
When The Tide visited the official residence of the AC leader, the high fences has the dreaded “X” marks, signifying that the fences should be reduced within two weeks.
The AC leader, Prince Tonye Princewill was not available for comment, as he was said to be on a working visit to Europe.
But his Media Consultant, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze confirmed that Prince Tonye Princewill has directed the pulling down of the affected fence and its immediate reconstruction.