Amaechi Indicates Interest For Second Term

Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (right) chatting with Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of National Planning, Prof Sylvester Monye, during a two-day South-South zonal dialogue and policy sensitisation workshop organised by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Port Harcourt, yesterday. Photo: Chris Monyanaga

Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has indicated his intention to run for a second term in office to enable him consolidate on the policies enunciated by his administration.

Governor Amaechi made his intention public, yesterday, during an interactive session with members of the state branch of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) at the Royal House of Grace Church in Port Harcourt.

“I think, I want to run for a second term in office as governor of the state and this is the first forum I am saying this”, noting that he needed the prayers of the men of God, to see his ambition through.

The governor hinted that when he first nursed the ambition to govern the state, he started by praying to God because he realised that popularity alone could not see him through except God endorsed it.

He explained that during his travails in the hands of influential Nigerians to stop him from becoming the governor, he resorted to God and finally, “He proved Himself”, emphasising that he had the conviction that “if I want to contest for a second time, the decision must be in the church.”

Governor Amaechi, therefore, urged the church leaders to educate their congregation on the need to register during the forthcoming voters registration exercise since votes would count in the 2011 elections.

Responding, the chairman of the Rivers State branch of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Apostle Zilly Aggrey, thanked the governor for the choice of the church to declare his interest to run for a second term in office.

Apostle Aggrey said Governor Amaechi had scored another first as the first politician to take the men of God into confidence for the interactive session, and promised that the churches would reciprocate by supporting him in prayers.

He also assured that the church would mobilise Christians to register and vote in the forthcoming elections.

Meanwhile, barely few months after the Rivers State Government provided a 50KVA generator at the newly-built modern primary centre at Ebubu, in Eleme Local Government Area of the state, the generator has been reportedly stolen by unknown persons.

Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, reacting to the development expressed regrets that the people of Ebubu community could be so criminally-minded to steal and jeopardise their health.

Amaechi who spoke through the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Sampson Parker said the theft of the generator would not have taken place.

He, therefore, directed the traditional ruler to look inward and ensure that the generator was recovered and re-installed for the smooth running of the facility.

Earlier in the address presented by the Secretary, Ebubu Council of Chiefs, Chief James Chichi on behalf of the Paramount Ruler, HRH, Emere E. O. Bene, members of the council of chiefs, and the people of the community reported that unknown persons had stolen the generator and some of the electrical gadgets in the health centre, and called on the government to provide adequate security to the facility and the entire community.

He also reported that unknown gunmen attacked some NYSC members at Ebubu and carted away 16 mobile phones and some cash from them.

Chief Chichi further acknowledged that the official handover ceremony of the facility to the community marked a turning point in the history of the community for their inclusion in the first phase of the project 60-60-60, adding that the facility would give them a great relief in the area of healthcare, and pledged their support for Governor Amaechi in the 2011 polls.

In his remarks, the chairman of the Local Government Area, Hon. Ejor Ngofa, thanked the governor for his magnanimity, stressing that out of the seven primary healthcare centres located in the local government area, four had been completed and currently in use while three were yet to be completed.

He condemned the stealing of the generating plant from the Ebubu health facility, and promised to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the generator and other items removed from the facility were recovered.

Hon Ngofa maintained that investigations on the matter had already begun and that the culprit had been unmasked, adding that securing the facility from further vandalism would not be a problem.

Meanwhile, the doctor in charge of the Ipo Primary Healthcare Centre in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Dr Harry Hamilton and his Matron, Mrs Mercy Kumanwi have been suspended for two months with immediate effect.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Sampson Parker gave the suspension order during an unscheduled visit to the Ipo primary health centre.

He expressed shock that several months after being posted, the doctor and matron abandoned their duty post, and left the health centre in the hands of a community extension worker which the commissioner said was unacceptable and negates the government’s intention of reducing the disease burden of Rivers people.

The commissioner said the state chief executive, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi paid a similar visit to the health centre on November 21, 2010 and found the place deserted and overgrown with weeds.