At a time when most economies in different regions of the world including those of the most advanced societies are getting downgraded, the strategic economic and development initiatives in today’s Rivers State rather got top endorsement last week from highly rated quarters.

The architect of this great transformational development taking place in this corner of Nigeria, the governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has been declared as ‘Nigeria’s hope and future’.

One of the foremost Back-American civil rights activists, the highly respected reverend, Jesse Jackson, thinks Governor Amaechi represents the ‘future and hope of Nigeria ’. Together with the former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku, in the Garden City, both international icons put the weights of their reputations together to rate Amaechi. They declared him a high performer, a man to watch.

They did this while speaking at a dinner and command performance of Prof. Chinua Achebe’s political satire – ‘A Man of The People’. This took place in Government House, Port Harcourt as part of the 2011 Garden City Literary Festival in Government House, last Wednesday.

The renowned reverend who was full of praises for the country’s democratic growth observed that Governor Amaechi represents the new spirit in consolidating Nigeria ‘s fledgling democracy.  Similarly, Anyaoku declared: “I could see Rivers State is fast approaching a level of development and from what I have seen, it is wonderful coming to the Garden City Literary Festival.”

The latest endorsements represent a huge vote of confidence in the efforts to reposition Rivers State as an emerging market worthy of the attention of serious investors within and outside of Africa .

Businesses in Nigeria tend to use their Port Harcourt presence to grow their turn-overs and  bottomline. In doing so, they also grow the GDP of the state and help to confirm the Garden City as the economic hob of Nigeria and oil centre in West Africa.  Multinational corporations seem to confirm this trend more than any other group of businesses.

This scenario comes with enormous responsibility on state government especially in providing security of lives and assets, infrastructure and social services such as education and health facilities to support the metropolitan complexity of the city.

Security in particular posed the greatest challenge few years ago requiring my boss, upon emerging as the next governor, to make difficult decisions and fight to retake the city from gangs and gunmen masquerading as militants and freedom fighters. Today, the Garden City is regarded as one of the safest cities in Nigeria .

Infrastructure has taken a huge chunk of the income of the state. Studies show that boost in infrastructure leads to a corresponding increase in the GDP of any society. This means that capacity is directly related to force of infrastructure and it is increase in business volume that would positively affect economic boom.

This explains the rush for massive road construction (over 900km, 35 bridges, five flyovers) in the state. This may sound abstract to outsiders but considering the riverine nature of the state and the difficult terrain that limits business communication, road development becomes a must.

Power alone has been isolated in various studies by both local and international groups as one most important factor that must be urgently addressed with suicidal determination if Nigeria was to think of any serious economic start-off. With less than 4000mw when at least 10000 mw is needed, businesses can only seek solace outside Nigeria , seek self-help through expensive alternatives or face certain liquidation. This is why our state governor is determined in his pursuit of a power self-sufficiency status in Rivers State, a quest that has cost the state over N100 billion even when another N75Bn is needed right now. Soon, the state will hit her desired target.

Rivers State is investing heavily in education and health as critical components of the economic drive. The governor is replacing the 1000 obsolete primary schools in the state with 750 model primary schools that have won local and international acclaim. There are 24 ongoing international standards secondary schools with computer capabilities, each built with N4.5bn.

Another strategic initiative by the present administration is the recourse to accessing capital to fast-track these mega projects which include flyovers, some key roads, the schools, the medical facilities including Clinotech Centre, the new UST, monorail project, etc.

–          Ibim Semenitari, Mrs, is the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Rivers State; isemenitari@riversstate.gov.ng.