I’m On Oath To Protect Lives, Property –Amaechi

Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has given more assurance on security in the state, saying he is on oath to secure lives and property of people of the state.

Governor Amaechi spoke during a Town Hall meeting with the people of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of the state at the council headquarters in Omoku last Wednesday.

“The only responsibility in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that the governor has is the responsibility he swears to on oath that ‘I will secure lives and property’. That is my responsibility to you. I promise you as I stand that I will continue to do that, to protect lives and property. We will continue to give all the necessary support to security agencies to restore law and order in ONELGA.”

“You know, there are two angles to this. One angle is me, I will give my necessary support but the police must also be ready to do their work. We believe that the new Police Commissioner is equipped like the former one to deal with the situation. But before you boo at your chairman, know that he does not have powers to arrest the situation, only the police can. In fact, it is the Federal Government’s responsibility to secure us but we as governors must work with our Commissioners of Police to ensure that you are secure but give us just one month to sit down and arrest the situation”, he said.

Amaechi said his administration had completed five primary healthcare centres in the local government with the sixth one under construction at Akabuka.

He listed the five model primary healthcare centres already in use to include the one in Ase Azagah, Omoku, Mgbede, Okwuzi and Ebocha.

The governor said, “You know, I promised to tell you the truth all the time. So here, out of six, five of them (primary healthcare centres) are completed and in use, so here we have done 90 per cent”.

He assured that his administration would complete ongoing road projects in the local government and reconstruct internal roads and drainages in the council headquarters, Omoku.

On education, Amaechi disclosed that funds had been disbursed to the State Ministry of Education to complete all model primary schools under construction in the local government.

“We assume that 60 per cent of the primary schools we started in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area are yet to be completed and what we have done, I can tell you is that we have released money to Commissioner for Education to start the completion of all primary schools we have not completed, so Omoku and all those areas will benefit”.

He listed the completed model primary schools in the local government to include Community Primary School, Ndoni, Community School, Obiede-Erema, State School, Obrikom, St. Stephens Primary School, Omoku, amongst others.

Amaechi reiterated that primary and secondary schools in the state were free and warned school heads not to collect any fees from students and pupils.

According to him, the state government had also awarded scholarships to 118 students from the local government to study in universities abroad.

He promised to build a model secondary school in the local government once the land was provided by the council and the people and spoke about plans to establish an agricultural investment in the area. He also urged the youths to be disciplined.

Earlier, Chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, Hon. Raymond Nwokocha in an address of welcome praised Governor Amaechi for the Town Hall meeting initiative and commended him for his developmental strides.

”Indeed, His Excellency’s vision of periodically fraternising with the people of Rivers State aimed at acquainting the people with the policies and programmes of government, as well as identifying their pressing needs is highly appreciated. This is because, holding wider consultation, identifying the plight of the people and responding swiftly to them are the hallmark of sound democratic practice.

“Your Excellency Sir, there is no gainsaying the fact that you have recorded an indelible mark on the sands of time in terms of your giant development strides in the state. These various projects, ranging from model secondary schools, model primary schools, model health centres and roads etc., are all located throughout the length and breadth of the state, while most of these projects have been delivered, some of them are at various stages of completion. In addition, a good number of scholarship awards have been given to our students both at the undergraduate and post graduate levels, within and outside Nigeria. Above all, your swift intervention in the various crises that threatened the corporate existence of our area averted an impending breakdown of law and order that was cleverly masterminded by some social miscreants”.