Amaechi Extols Late Tonye Harry’s Virtues

Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi returned to
the state on Monday last week after attending BRACED Commission meeting at Benin, capital of Edo State. he later proceeded to Abuja for the G-7 reconciliatory meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The G-7 reconciliatory meeting was postponed till after the Hajj as three governors were in Mecca on pilgrimage. However, on returning, Governor Amaechi presided over an executive council meeting on Monday evening.
On Tuesday, the governor also presided over the monthly Inter-Governmental Forum. But before the meeting he and some state executive council members in the company of some state legislators paid a condolence visit to the family of late former Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tonye Harry in Port Harcourt.
Governor Amaechi bemoaned the sudden death of the former Speaker and described him as a friend and colleague. “We were quite friendly, he was a wonderful Deputy Speaker and I guess he was a wonderful Speaker”.
He, however, assured the family that, “the government is prepared to participate in the State burial. The government is prepared to listen to the family and knows what to do to assist the family, especially with the young children that he has”.
On Wednesday, Governor Amaechi took presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP) at the 2011 general election, Mr Dele Momodu round some of  his projects in the state. Some of the projects include – Banana plantation at Tai, the Gas Turbine Power Station at Afam, Songhai Farm at Bunu Tai, Nne Kurubo Model Secondary School, Eleme among others.
Impressed by what he saw on ground, Mr Momodu spoke to newsmen saying, “if we have more Amaechis in Nigeria, I’ am sure we would have done better than what we are doing at the moment. And I appeal to the Federal Government in particular to support the gentleman (Amaechi) who is trying his best in the state. So let’s forget about politics”.
The publisher turned politician also said he was extremely impressed with Rt. Hon. Amaechi’s strides in education development. “One of the things that strikes me most is education. For me, education is everything. Without education I would not be standing here. I was not born rich. I grew up in the ancient city of Ile-Ife. I was once a village teacher”.
The ‘2012 Batch C’ National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) members rounded –off their service year on Thursday and Governor Amaechi was on hand to do the closing ceremonies held at Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt.
After the passing out parade, the Rivers State Governor addressed the corp members thus, “As future leaders of this great nation, you are high stakeholders in the country and it behoves on you to do your best to achieve and sustain the aspirations of the scheme”. He also challenged them to be creators of employment instead of waiting endlessly for government jobs.
On Friday, the Governor took a team of foreign journalists round some of the project sites in the state. He told the foreign newsmen that his administration was moving the state from an oil dependent economy to an agro-based economy, stressing that Nigeria and Rivers State have huge potential for foreign investors to exploit.