Where Has Amaechi Failed?

As I was about to write
this piece , a  discrete picture of Rivers State before the coming of the Chuibuike  Amaechi-led administration beamed across my mind. As I looked, I saw a picture of primary education in a state of deterioration and decay; the health sector dilapidated with little  or no operational apparatus. I saw a state with so much mineral and human resources going down the drain. There was little or no good road network, a near and  total darkness (blackout) in almost all the communities  of Rivers State, especially Port Harcourt metropolis. A staccato  of traffic and lawlessness envisaged in abandoned projects here and there.
My dear Rivers men and women, people cry out when they feel pain over a wrong. I wish I could scream this failure  of our dear governor. It is  widespread, it is prevalent. The  lame knows about it, the blind, deaf and dumb are all abreast with it. Yet, no one amongst  the able  and  well to do has taken  it upon themselves to scream. If we continue to fold our hands this failure of his will be  lost to oblivion.
Governor Amaechi’s failure  is that he wished well for the state of his birth. His wrong is that  he is a man of impact-a man who sacrificed his time, energy and intellectual prowess for the good of the common Rivers man and woman. A man who should  have received applause for his efforts and kind gestures, but what did he receive; war, destructive criticisms, secret and evil plots of subversion even from the people he has sacrificed so much for. Like Julius Cesar, he  was accused of the crime and wrong of selfishness and arrogance.
My fellow Rivers men and women, it will be a concerted conspiracy  and suicidal  to withdraw our compliments and refrain from applauding office holders who have  distinguished themselves in the cause of serving our dear state as Amaechi has done.  If he were as some would say, why would he want the same measure of education enjoyed by the rich and affluent to be enjoyed by the poor and down trodden too, by revamping primary  education? If he were selfish, why would he respond to our long cries and problems of power? It’s quite amazing that almost all the communities in Rivers State enjoy a near constant electricity  supply. If Governor Amaechi were selfish, why would he invest so much money in the health sector.
There are health centres in almost all the communities in Rivers State to respond to the health  needs of the people. There is good road network within and outside Port Harcourt metropolis. Almost all the villages  in Rivers State have motorbale link roads good enough to convey and facilitate  easy movement of people and goods. What more has he not done? He has restored the glory o f our state University. It was via his efforts that Rivers State University of Science and Technology came back to life… we can again beat our chest that we have a glorious state University.
My good people of Rivers State, I have not  written  this piece to campaign for our governor, but I have only expressed my personal opinion about the good works Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is doing in Rivers State. We should look away from sentiments and biased feelings and applaud our able governor… we must not kill his dreams, good intentions and aspirations for the Rivers people. In Amaechi, I have seen as a true democrat-a man who is desirous to bring home the dividends of democracy.
A system in which the common man will have the slightest and most excited moment to know that he, like the rich and affluent is counted as a worthy member of the society. He is many thing  most of our elected office holders are not. When a man distinguishes himself, he sure will be ready to fight the battle of envy, jealousy and antagonism from every angle, especially from people who should have done the same thing who by reason of corruption and squandermania failed to do so.
Amaechi has won the hearts of many good and right thinking people of the society. The literary icon, Professor Wole Soyinka, was not ashamed to identify with his good intentions for the Rivers people. Amaechi  has made our dear state proud; he has demonstrated the heart and will of democracy. He has shown by his act of tactfulness and diligence that change is possible if it is determined. Rivers State must not form ally with men and women who are development-antagonists, men and women who are determined to smear the image of the transparent government he is leading.
I encourage existing and anticipating leaders from our dear state to borrow a leaf from our dear governor so that we can together  take the Nigerian  society to the skies. Space will fail me to enumerate  the fact that we must not  allow any kind of feelings either the ones emanating from withinin us or instigated by our peers, spouses or respected friends-colleagues, and employers alike to destroy the stability and  serene atmosphere regularised  and occasioned by growth  and  development that  cuts across every ministry, local authority and community of Rivers State.
We need to stablise the pace this administration has set. Let us  endeavour to embrace peace, reconcile all parties concerned to make a headway. Rivers State is ours to build, protect and enjoy.

Solomon resides in Ahoada, Rivers State.

Chisa Solomon