RSG Votes N9bn For Rural Electrification

Rural electrification in Rivers State will cost not less than N9 billion, Governor Chibuike Amaechi has revealed.

He made the disclosure during a Town  Hall meeting with the people of Ahoada – West Local Government Area at Akinima Town last Wednesday.

The Governor said rural electrification would commence later this year, when  the power problem in Port Harcourt and its environs had been addressed.

He added, “We don’t have money. Give us sometime from now till November to look for money”.

He reiterated that government cannot solve all the problems in the state, but was poised to provide basic infrastructure, which power is among.

Amaechi, while listing the projects so far executed in the local government area, said always, about five road projects had been completed and delivered.

On education, the Rivers State Chief Executive noted that lots of primary schools had been completed but yet to be furnished, saying that “the time we are furnishing, we don’t pay contractors 100 per cent, especially if we have completed the building”.

But since most of the contractors handling projects were indigenes, Amaechi directed them to go back to site or be probed by the people.

Responding to regrets by the stakeholders, Governor Amaechi promised a new health centre at Mbiama, and blamed the slow pace of work in other  new ones to contractors, while urging the people to hold them accountable.

Meanwhile, Rt, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi has asked the Secretary to the State Government, Mr George Feyii to liase with the Chairman of Ahoada-West Local Government Area, Barrister Awori Miller in addressing the security problem in Okogbe Community.

The Governor while reacting to a request by Dr Robinson Sunday on the swelling crime in Okogbe, also promised to provide electricity to the town, since it hosts businesses and oil companies.

He pleaded to the people of the area to be patient with government as plans to resettle them after the flooding were in progress.

The Deputy Governor, Engr. Tele Ikuru disclosed that over N700 million was expended on tackling flood in the State as Ahoada-West was the most affected.

Earlier in his address, Chairman of Council, Barrister Awori Miller said the local government had built on the achievements of the State by completing internal road in Akiniba, built a befitting Town Hall and awarded contract for the construction of Mbiama Market.

Barrister Miller, however, prayed the governor on the commencement of the Model Secondary School and the need to press for the completing East-West Road through Ihubuluko, Upatabo, Anakpo/Oshika areas.

Earlier, stakeholders in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State had called on the State government to address the plight of victims of last year’s flooding and survivors of petrol tanker fire that claimed the lives of hundreds of people at Okogbe in Ahoada-West Local Government Area.

During a Town Hall Meeting of Governor Chibuike Amaechi with the people of Ahoada-West Local Government Area (AWELGA) on Wednesday at Akinima Town, same of the stakeholders urged government to address the plight of those affected by the flood and petrol tanker fire last year.

A lecturer in the University of Port Harcourt, Dr Robinson Sunday during the question and answer session, lamented the swelling crime at Okogbe because of the increasing business activities in the community.

Dr Sunday called for the electrification of the community and the sitting of a police station due to the crime problems linked to the presence of companies and workers in the area.

On the Okogbe petrol tanker fire incident last year, he disclosed that so far, no fewer than 30 widows have been identified in the community, as most of their children died in the ugly incident.

Another stakeholder, Eze Ekaki S. Ekaki lamented that not less than 2,000 persons from the area were rendered homeless during the flooding that devastated the area last year.

He said most people from Odugwe now take refuge in Ngenne Communities following a communal clash that occurred there between 2000 – 2001, stressing that many of their children have been rendered homeless without education.

A community leader, Chief A. I. Harry stressed the need for the government to address the plight of boundary communities, especially those near Bayelsa State.

He pleaded that necessary utilities such as power, water and road be made available to them so that the people in the area will have a sense of belonging.

Earlier in his remarks, Secretary to the State Government, Mr George Feyii had described the Town Hall Meetings as a platform for the citizenry to table their plight before government.

Mr Feyii noted that the mandate given to the governor has to be accountable through opinion shaving, as he enjoined the people to freely express their views since the governor is ready to provide answers to them.

L-R: Member, Rivers State House of Assembly, Mrs Felicia Tane, State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, and Permanent Secretary, Minister of Information and Communications, Lady Jokotade Adamu, during the Gender Advocacy Project Road Show in Port Harcourt, yesterday