RVHA In 2012: A Score Sheet

Rivers State House of Assembly in 2012, continued to maintain its apex position as one of the leading state legislative arms of government in the country.

From the inception of the Seventh Assembly, the House has recorded milestones in the performance of legislative duties that have impacted significantly on the lives of Rivers people.

The leadership of the Assembly under the tutelage of Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Dan Amachree was greeted with excitement, hope and expectation of a possible paradigm shift in focus and conceptualisation of deliverables to engender the enactment of people oriented laws.

As many expressed absolute confidence on the leadership of the House, some political pundits saw the change of baton as a mere window dressing as the incumbent Speaker and the immediate past speaker Rt. Hon. Tonye Harry belong to the same political caucus.

However, apart from sharing and taking decisions jointly as members of the same kitchen cabinet, beginning from 1999, when Governor Chibuike Amaechi was Speaker, individual differences, style and charisma would be the determining factor in the assessment of each occupant of the number three position in the state government.

The existence of a political cell within the Assembly came to the fore during the “red carpet event organised by the House to honour past Speakers and outstanding law-makers past and present that distinguished themselves in public service.

Appreciating the Ambassador of the Rivers State House of Assembly award to him, former Speaker Tonye Harry said “many people will not understand the relationship between me and the incumbent Speaker. We belong to the same political caucus in the House since 1999, where major decisions that subdued some troublesome members were taken and he Amachree had been our leader”.

The outcome of the red carpet ceremony was the institution of an annual special legislative session to be attended by past and serving lawmakers in the state.

Hon. Tonye Harry, thanked the House leadership for the innovations introduced into the administration of the Assembly particularly for institutionalising the Red Carpet event and the House Hall of Fame as remarkable stints of a good leadership.

A significant mark of success and development remains peaceful co-existence, thus, the Assembly within the period under review engaged stability and cordial working relationship with the other arms of government.

The period under review equally witnessed the passage of new laws, repealing of others and resolutions of the House that has sufficiently contributed in shaping the state government to succeed.

Apart from acknowledging the laws enacted by the state lawmakers, the opposition political parties had described the Assembly as a mere “rubber stamp” of the executive.

But the House committee Chairman on Information and Training Hon. Onari Brown, debunked the insinuations of being remoted from the “Brick House”.

According to Hon. Onari, the three arms of government are to work for the betterment of the society while the lawmakers as representatives of the people are to leverage on their mandate to make justifiable laws that would improve the standard of living.

Hon. Brown argued that unnecessary antagonism and confrontation from the legislature on the executive would not do anybody any good, rather as responsible citizens that seek the development of the state, a lot of issues are settled through dialogue.

Moreso, he said, the Governor as former lawmaker understands the rhythm of the House and complies without armtwisting.

In terms of input to debates, exposure to legislative business, leadership styles, comportment and experience the state Assembly leads the pack. Just recently, the state Assembly successfully hosted the Pan African Parliamentary Conference in Port Harcourt with the theme “promoting good governance in Africa”.

The conference attracted dignitaries from far and near within the African continent thereby selling the potentials of the state to the outside world.

One issue which had agitated the minds of concerned constituents in the state borders on the near absence of constituency projects by the lawmakers. According to Mr. Stanely Etena, said most of the lawmakers made promises to the people but “they are yet to fulfill them and since we cannot remove them now, we shall wait till when they come to renew their mandate.

While Mr. Etena may not be alone in his assessment of performance via the projects, some are leading in that diretion. The lawmaker representing Bonny Constituency Hon. Aye Pepple, recently fulfilled his electioneering campaign of building a befitting Finima Youth Centre commissioned by the Speaker of the House.

He did not stop there, Hon. Pepple organised a two-Day seminar for Bonny youths to equip them with necessary knowledge to face future challenges and the lawmaker crowned the year with inter ward football competition to identify hidden talents among the youths of the area.

The move no doubt had endeared him to his people, especially the youths.

Similarly, Hon. Onari Brown wrote his name in gold when he completed and commissioned corpers lodge in Obonoma Akuku-Toru LGA equipped with modern facilities and a Lawn Tennis Court.

Others include Hon. Chidi Lloyd that recently commissioned, market he built for the women of Ogbakiri in Emohua LGA, Hon. Okechukwu Ankara a computer centre, Victoria Nyeche amongst other touched their constituents.

However, many are yet to nominate  projects for sponsorship in their areas.

Since the 2013, Appropriation bill was presented to the House December 24, 2012, as the Assembly resumes from Christmas and New Year holidays, the lawmakers are expected to swing into action to debate the budget estimates of Governor Amaechi with a view to ensuring early passage to guarantee completion of on-going projects embarked upon by the state government.

Certainly, Rivers people expect to see more robust debate by the lawmakers to justify their mandate of speaking the opinion of their people while oversight functions of the House will keep the executive on their toes to deliver on their promises.