Opinion
Why Amaechi should be rewarded
With the success of the French and American revolutions, a clear cut separation of powers emerged between the different arms of government, of which the Judiciary is one of them in the words of Montesquieu of French and Thomas Jefferson of United States of America, a strongly supported Judiciary will help to avoid interference among the three arms of government. The Legislature, executive and the Judiciary should cooperate rather than compete for good governance of the state.
Before the advent of the present Yar’Adua led administration there was little regard to the principle of rule of law. Yar’Adua came in and reintroduced this principle, which has resulted in a sound judicial system. There is a high degree of impartiality among the law courts in Nigeria of today. The Apex Court of Nigeria, the Supreme Court presided over by Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu declared Rt. Honourable Amaechi, as the Governor of Rivers State on the 25th October, 2007.
That verdict of the Supreme Court has enabled Rivers people to have a dependable servant-leader. Governor Amaechi is the person. He has spent more than 15 years in active politics on Rivers State and also, has served as Speaker, Rivers State Legislature for eight years, a position he discharged diligently. His brilliant performances while he was in office gave him vast experiences in the art of governance. The performances of Amaechi, as speaker, attests to the fact that, if one aspires to rule a people he must have first class knowledge of the people he wants to govern.
After taking his oath of office as the 15th Governor of the state, he immediately constituted a 14 member committee. Its members were drawn from 36 professions from their areas of specializations to fashion out Greater Port Harcourt City master Plan. Other stakeholders and professional groups that made in-put into the Master Plan include Shell, Nigerian society of engineers, Nigerian Institute of Surveyors, Nigerian Institute of Town planners, Nigerian Institute of estate Surveyors among others.
Amaechi led administration Rivers State took off in a very sound footing by first instituting a body of engineers, architects and every profession in environmental sciences and their work was to advise government on projects, feasibility and economic value of such projects. His action reminds one of the adage that a planned project is half executed.
He has planned the administration of Rivers people well and that is why he is executing projects that are sustainable and are bound to uplift the lives of Rivers people.
He entered into Public-Private partnership with corporate bodies. This arrangement is assisting him execute sustainable projects that will stand the taste of time. The emergency he declared on the educational sector is very glaring for everybody to see. The prototype model primary school buildings going on across the state, Scholarships scheme which he introduced has benefited Rivers peoples educational aspiration. Many are studying abroad to increase manpower base of the state.
In the words of Amaechi, physical and human capital developments are cardinal to his overall strategy of governance. Rivers people should observe the several roads, bridges, reclamation, shore protections and drainage infrastructure he has started in the state. Many are completed and many are in various stages of completion. Further more the Chief executive has already completed his overseas trips to woo foreign investors based in South Africa to develop a new city called Peninsula city on an island between Port Harcourt and Bakana.
The project when competed will be one of the world’s unique urban centers to emerge out of the swamps of Niger Delta. The numerous high rise buildings being undertaken by the state government, when completed will bring Port Harcourt at par with the federal capital, Abuja in terms of beauty.
The massive infrastructure development going on in the city of Port Harcourt alone is worthy of commendation. Among the 15 Chief executives who had ruled the state. None had embarked on massive roads construction on the scale we are witnessing under Amaechi the 23 local government areas of the state, road projects are going on simultaneously.
On education, he has provided scholarships to Rivers indigenes to study abroad to boost manpower in the state. Also in the health Sector, the Governor has aggressively embarked on building of new Health Centers across the state. This on going health Center projects are second to none in the country. On power since one and half years. He is working hard to extend electricity to all the nooks and crannies of the state.
There is no sector of the state economy that Amaechi, has not touched positively. Development projects are going on in all the 23 local government areas of the state. There has been relative peace in the state, since the present administration. Having evaluated the performances of the present administration in the state, for one and half years standing. Rivers people are convinced that he has performed far above past leaders in Rivers State.
Therefore, the result of heard work is reward. I am of the opinion, to that Governor Amaechi, will rule Rivers State for eight years. Anybody who is in doubt about my evaluation of this government should come to Rivers State to see things himself.
Anucha wrote in form Omuma LGA.
From all indications, Nigeria possesses enough human and material resources to become a true economic powerhouse in Africa. According to the National Population Commission (NPC, 2023), the country’s population has grown steadily within the last decade, presently standing at about 220 million people—mostly young, vibrant, and innovative. Nigeria also remains the sixth-largest oil producer in the world, with enormous reserves of gas, fertile agricultural land, and human capital.
Yet, despite this enormous potential, the country continues to grapple with underdevelopment, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 2023) show that about 129 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line. Most families can no longer afford basic necessities, even as the government continues to project a rosy economic picture.
The Subsidy Question
The removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been one of the most controversial policy decisions in Nigeria’s recent history. According to the president, subsidy removal was designed to reduce fiscal burden, unify the foreign exchange rate, attract investment, curb inflation, and discourage excessive government borrowing.
While these objectives are theoretically sound, the reality for ordinary Nigerians has been severe hardship. Fuel prices more than tripled, transportation costs surged, and food inflation—already high—rose above 30% (NBS, 2023). The World Bank (2023) estimates that an additional 7.1 million Nigerians were pushed into poverty after subsidy removal.
A Critical Economic View
As an economist, I argue that the problem was not subsidy removal itself—which was inevitable—but the timing, sequencing, and structural gaps in Nigeria’s implementation.
- Structural Miscalculation
Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries remain nonfunctional. By removing subsidies without local refining capacity, the government exposed the economy to import-price pass-through effects—where global oil price shocks translate directly into domestic inflation. This was not just a timing issue but a fundamental policy miscalculation.
- Neglect of Social Safety Nets
Countries like Indonesia (2005) and Ghana (2005) removed subsidies successfully only after introducing cash transfers, transport vouchers, and food subsidies for the poor (World Bank, 2005). Nigeria, however, implemented removal abruptly, shifting the fiscal burden directly onto households without protection.
- Failure to Secure Food and Energy Alternatives
Fuel subsidy removal amplified existing weaknesses in agriculture and energy. Instead of sequencing reforms, government left Nigerians without refinery capacity, renewable energy alternatives, or mechanized agricultural productivity—all of which could have cushioned the shock.
Political and Public Concerns
Prominent leaders have echoed these concerns. Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, described the subsidy removal as “good but wrongly timed.” Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party also faulted the government’s hasty approach. Human rights activists like Obodoekwe Stive stressed that refineries should have been made functional first, to reduce the suffering of citizens.
This is not just political rhetoric—it reflects a widespread economic reality. When inflation climbs above 30%, when purchasing power collapses, and when households cannot meet basic needs, the promise of reform becomes overshadowed by social pain.
Broader Implications
The consequences of this policy are multidimensional:
- Inflationary Pressures – Food inflation above 30% has made nutrition unaffordable for many households.
- Rising Poverty – 7.1 million Nigerians have been newly pushed into poverty (World Bank, 2023).
- Middle-Class Erosion – Rising transport, rent, and healthcare costs are squeezing household incomes.
- Debt Concerns – Despite promises, government borrowing has continued, raising sustainability questions.
- Public Distrust – When government promises savings but citizens feel only pain, trust in leadership erodes.
In effect, subsidy removal without structural readiness has widened inequality and eroded social stability.
Missed Opportunities
Nigeria’s leaders had the chance to approach subsidy removal differently:
- Refinery Rehabilitation – Ensuring local refining to reduce exposure to global oil price shocks.
- Renewable Energy Investment – Diversifying energy through solar, hydro, and wind to reduce reliance on imported petroleum.
- Agricultural Productivity – Mechanization, irrigation, and smallholder financing could have boosted food supply and stabilized prices.
- Social Safety Nets – Conditional cash transfers, food vouchers, and transport subsidies could have protected the most vulnerable.
Instead, reform came abruptly, leaving citizens to absorb all the pain while waiting for theoretical long-term benefits.
Conclusion: Reform With a Human Face
Fuel subsidy removal was inevitable, but Nigeria’s approach has worsened hardship for millions. True reform must go beyond fiscal savings to protect citizens.
Economic policy is not judged only by its efficiency but by its humanity. A well-sequenced reform could have balanced fiscal responsibility with equity, ensuring that ordinary Nigerians were not crushed under the weight of sudden change.
Nigeria has the resources, population, and resilience to lead Africa’s economy. But leadership requires foresight. It requires policies that are inclusive, humane, and strategically sequenced.
Reform without equity is displacement of poverty, not development. If Nigeria truly seeks progress, its policies must wear a human face.
References
- National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2023). Poverty and Inequality Report. Abuja.
- National Population Commission (NPC). (2023). Population Estimates. Abuja.
- World Bank. (2023). Nigeria Development Update. Washington, DC.
- World Bank. (2005). Fuel Subsidy Reforms: Lessons from Indonesia and Ghana. Washington, DC.
- OPEC. (2023). Annual Statistical Bulletin. Vienna.
By: Amarachi Amaugo