Restoring The Port Harcourt Environment

Since the emergence of Chief Nyesom
Ezenwo Wike as governor of Rivers State,
the presence of government is no longer in doubt, as the activities of government on the real issues that affect the people are being addressed systematically.
In spite of the financial crunch of the season, the Rivers State Government has eliminated the nightmarish feeling that used to be associated with the use of roads in and around the State capital and opened up more areas and linked hitherto disregarded areas to the economy.
But the current plan by the State Government to restore Port Harcourt to its original garden city status, and return sanity to the environment promises a lot more for the State. But it will pose the mother of all concerns in Port Harcourt and is environs because the decay is widespread. The plan indeed holds the greatest promise of restoring order in Rivers State.
Indeed, the State Government must be prepared to deal with the resistance that will follow because it will come. For decades, the master-plan for Port Harcourt had been distorted and discarded under successive governments. The result is that the State capital has become largely unserviceable.
It is sad that it is becoming difficult to differentiate between reserved areas from commercial areas; one cannot draw a line between residential areas and full blown markets. In fact, residential houses are being converted to shops, while open lawns are converted to motor parks or mechanic shades or markets with impunity.
In fact, what this has done to social life and the health of residents can no longer be denied. Not only has sanitary lanes and gutters been compromised in some places, some persons have built across access roads and major drains without qualms. Some build under high tension electricity wires and high pressure petroleum pipelines.
Of security concern are the littering of the city with unserviceable vehicles and abandonment of high-rise buildings that now provide cover for doubtful characters. In fact, the forceful occupation of State estates at Orije and Oromenike is a shame to successive governments.
That is why the current plan to re-invent the State capital deserves commendation from the true Rivers man. It is nothing short of the emergence of a Reformer that is capable of dealing with this perennial challenge. This shows that the current government truly understands that the effect of the environment on the human is total.
Commissioner for Urban Development, Hon. Chinyere Igwe had said that to actualise the restoration of the garden city status, government would set up a body to be known as Urban Guards. They will do the surveillance and enforcement of the city master plan. He said his ministry was already collaborating with other stakeholders.
According to the Commissioner, although action had begun with the removal of some illegal markets, the Ministry was still meeting with organisations on how to regulate the exercise. He also said that after due warning, advocacy and enlightenment, the Ministry would mount a restoration campaign that would affect every nook and cranny in Port Harcourt.
Even as we support the plan to sanitise Port Harcourt and recognise the systematic approach being adopted, we think that the Ministry will need to provide ready alternatives for some persons that may be affected. The Ministry must be able to point traders and roadside mechanics to approved sites for their businesses.
It is also important that the exercise be devoid of politics or any other primordial consideration if it must succeed. The Ministry must also not engage persons that can easily be compromised, so that room was not created for blackmail and distraction. In fact, plans should also be made to create more environmental courts for immediate sanctions.
On the other hand, Rivers people must rise and give all the support for the sanitisation of Port Harcourt that had been the cry of many. No doubt, it will be a bitter pill for some persons but the cure and benefit will be there for all to see. Now that the political will has been provided, let all hands be on deck to restore our Garden City.