A former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Rivers State, Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka, has said that government plans to modernise and develop the waterfronts around Port Harcourt metropolis is a step in the right direction but cautioned that the people of Okrika who inhabit some of the waterfronts should be resettled before any such exercise was embarked upon.

Chief Amiesimaka Owolo who spoke to The Tide in an exclusive interview in Port Harcourt on Monday noted that the need to resettle the Okrika people before any modernization of development of the waterfronts where they inhabit became imperative because it was only fair to do so in view of the historical antecedents of the people.

“There are historic imperatives concerning the waterfronts that make it only fair, only fair that before such exercise is undertaken, that is before the waterfronts are developed and modernized, and bearing in mind the consequences of initiating such development and modernization, which any reasonable man should support, for especially the Okrika people that regard that place as home, should be resettled”.

Explaining what he meant by resettling the people of Okrika, who inhabit some of the waterfronts, Chief Amiesimaka emphasised that prior to  any such initiation or modernized plan, the people should be resettled.

“There should be no demolition before resettlement, but rather resettlement before demolition”,  saying that he was confident that the state Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was well disposed to giving the suggestion the consideration it deserved.

He observed that government could do this by creating land through reclamation and sandfilling process to resettle the Okrika people that would be affected by the plan to modernize the waterfronts.

According to him, “if the Okrika people are resettled, I do not think they have any issue with our dear governor. The only issue is the issue of resettling them first. It is not just a question of buying their houses, no. If the governor in his magnanimity wants to resettle Okrika people and also pay for their houses, am I the person to say  no”? he queried.

Chief Amiesimaka said that if the governor did that, everybody would be happy and applaud him, but noted that what was important to Okrika people in the issue, was resettlement.

“They want a place they can call home if they must leave the waterfronts. That is the issue”, he averred, adding that he was very  hopeful that it could be  done.

Chief Amiesimaka used the opportunity to appeal to the governor to leave the avenue for dialogue open, that people go to court only as pre-emptive measures for fear of the unknown, adding that going to court was the most civilised thing to do if you think, rightly or wrongly that your right had been infringed upon.

The Okrika chief observed that he held the governor in high esteem and cited the renaming of the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt  after him as a show of regard which the governor has for him.

He also said that the people of Okrika had no problem with the governor, noting that the governor had done Okrika proud by appointing their illustrious sons and daughters including the Health Commissioner, Dr Sampson Parker, The Education Commissioner, Ms Alice Nemi, the Sports and the Information and Communications Commissioners, Mr Boma Iyaye and Mrs Ibim Seminatari, respectively into positions of trust.

Besides, Chief Amiesimaka said that the spread of development projects in all parts of the state including Okrika was a pointer to the fact that the governor has a large heart for the people of Okrika, and called for support.