Fubara: Raising The Bar Of Governance In One Year

The administration of Governor Siminialayi Fubara of Rivers State clocks one year in office today. The last 365 days have, however, not been bed of roses for the young administration, no thanks to the political distractions occasioned by a face-off between the governor and his estranged godfather and predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
Although the Fubara administration came on board exactly a year ago on May 29, 2023, it was recently it settled down for real governance. The governor himself noted this recently when he said it was barely three months ago that his administration actually settled down to work due to festering political crisis in the State.
The lingering political crisis, notwithstanding, the governor, from all indices, has recorded some remarkable achievements in the last one year such that he boasted at Ngo Town during the inauguration of the Andoni section of the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road project in Andoni Local Government Area on May 18, that the success of service and projects delivered within his first one year in office is far better than the eight years spent by some other administrations.
While the governor’s claim has raised dust in certain quarters, many Rivers people and stakeholders thumbed up for Fubara’s scorecard within his first one year in the saddle in spite of the political mudslinging in the State. Many went as far as giving the governor 95 percent pass mark in the area of education, social infrastructure and human capital development. They also suggested ways of improving on his achievements.
The Tide’s Group News Editor, Boye Salau, led his team of reporters comprising John Bibor, Akujobi Amadi, Susan Serekhara-Wikhana, King Onunwor and Chinedu Wosu to feel the pulse of Rivers people about Governor Siminialayi Fubara’s achievements in the last one year. The respondents minced no words in their views.
Taking the lead, Professor of Politics and Governance in the Department of Political Science, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumini Port Harcourt, Prof Kenneth Nweke, scored Fubara’s government high in the area of human capital development.
He described the promotion of workers who were stagnated for eight years by the Nyesom Wike administration as a great asset to human capital development.
Prof. Nweke, a political analyst and social commentator in the State, said Rivers State has gotten a governor that God is using to turn around the fortunes of the State for the betterment of all, adding that everybody in the State is feeling the positive impact of the policies and programmes being initiated by the present administration in the State.
According to him, the governor has performed creditably well within his first one year in office against all odds and societal perceptions, most especially in the area of education, social infrastructure and human capital development.
He, however, urged the governor and his team to focus more on living behind a lasting legacy that will beat the records of Diette-Spiff, Peter Odili and Rotimi Amaechi.
“The governor should focus on opening up the rural communities to decongest the one city status of the State, in areas like Igbo Etche, Umuebule and Oyigbo communities.
“The administration should begin to build massive road network, provide constant electricity and rebuild both the primary and secondary schools, as well as primary health care system across the State,” he said.
The university don called for an urgent review of some of the policies of the previous administrations and consider those that will be of good benefits to the State. He advised the governor not to be deterred by distractions from a few dissidents, saying the majority of Rivers people are strongly behind him.
Also appraising Fubara’s administration in the last one year, the Head of Architecture Department, Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola, Port Harcourt, Arch Ipalibo West, said Governor Fubara has excelled within the last one year in office, especially in the area of education.
According to him, Fubara achieved this feat through provision of infrastructural needs to many schools that were hitherto neglected by the immediate past administration for eight years.
West, who is also the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) of his school, noted that those infrastructural needs that were neglected by the previous government have now been captured in the State budget under Fubara’s watch.
He also disclosed that the governor has taken care of students of the state origin studying abroad who were abandoned by the immediate past administration.
He added that, “under the watch of the present administration, all the courses and programmes being run in the polytechnic have been fully accredited.”
West, however, urged the government to revive the technical schools across the State and ensure that the laboratories and warehouses are equipped and made functional.
“Scholarships should also be given to those who want to study both at home and abroad and that is the best human capital development that government can give to the people”, he added.
On his part, Chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Rivers State University (RSU) chapter, Mr. Aaron Ene, commended the governor for the positive impact his administration has made in the State within his first one year in office.
Ene noted that although one year is not enough to assess the performance of any government, he gave the governor a thumbs up for what he called “people-oriented projects, policies and programmes” that have direct bearing on the people, most especially in the area of education, road network projects and human capital development.
He singled out the promotion of civil servants in the State, payment of N100,000 Christmas bonus to State workers and payment of minimum wage to local government employees for commendation, describing the gesture as a huge human capital development that was greeted with ovation, joy and excitement across the State.
The SSANU chairman also commended Governor Fubara for the recent two-day economic summit organised by his government and urged him to sustain it and implement the recommendations emerging from the summit.
“Although the governor said he was barely four months for actual governance, he should look at some of the moribund industries in the State with regards to the syringe company in Uzuoba and revive it so as to create and generate employment opportunities in the State.
“Again, the conditions of our primary and secondary schools and primary healthcare should be looked into. More teachers and healthcare workers should be employed to cater for manpower deficiencies in these sectors so that people can have the feeling of government in the rural areas”, he pleaded.
Many other stakeholders also assessed Fubara’s government at one, giving thumbs up where necessary and also advising the administration in another breath.
The Managing Director, Environmental and Chemical Services Limited, Engr. Olu Wai-Ogosu, has this to say: “Fubara has shown commitment to the development of Rivers State and I want to admire him for being able to separate and distinguish himself as someone who doesn’t want to be controversial, but to remain very focused.
“Looking at the Rivers State University (RSU) for instance, in the education sector, there was quite a lot of impropriety, lots of issues surrounding admission in the two state universities, Ignatius Ajuru and RSU.
“His timely intervention salvaged the ugly situation that was already on ground as a result of some irregularities. A lot of people were given appointments, but were not absorbed, rather those that didn’t apply nor attend interview were absorbed, but the governor’s timely intervention halted that process and called for review. Today, we are beginning to see the dividends of democracy.
“Then, talking about human capital development, his intervention in the civil service not just in the State, but at the local government areas was so impressive. People (workers) have been so stagnated in one position or the other for years, but with his quick intervention, everyone was excited. They never even believed that such can happen in Rivers State and this is another good part of his administration.
“Most importantly, those of us who have been here for a while, our State internally generated revenue did not previously show any sign of progression, but just in one year, he (Fubara) is being so open to Rivers people that they are now asking if Rivers State can generate such a huge sum of money within a month. That is very impressive and I want to add my voice that he should remain focused, giving more room to be trusted because that will create more rooms for economic development of the State.
“In the area of infrastructure, I see the governor as a man of his words who believes in continuity. The way he keyed into existing projects is a testament. His performance is quite impressive.
“To close in on his one year in office, he organised economic submit and looking at the calibre of people that attended the event, this tells me that the governor is a thoroughbred financial management guru and I believe that the proceeds from that submit is going to reinvigorate him more to be more managerial in terms of handling the resources available to him in both material, financial and capital.”
Also impressed by Fubara’s achievements in the last one year is the Chairman, Ogoni Community Development Council (OCDC), Engr. Nwinmene Migah.
Migah said: “In the area of human capital development, for eight years, local government workers were stagnated, no promotion. In fact, nothing was really happening. It was as if the commission (Civil Service Commission) was not existing again as there was no head. Within this short period of time that the governor came in, there was sudden transformation as he called for promotion exercise in all the LGAs and completed this exercise within a space of less than two months. At present, he is about to commence their payments, this is the way to go. It is a wonderful stride and a positive touch to the grassroots that we are very proud of the governor and prays he keeps it up.
“Also, the governor (Fubara) cannot be compared with past governors of Rivers State in terms of doing good to humanity. Look at the N100,000 (Christmas bonus) he gave civil servants in the State irrespective of their grade levels. This speaks volume of his kindness towards humanity, that is wonderful. There is this belief that when you make people happy, the people will love you, so he deserves great commendation.
“On infrastructure, he has done so much, even the projects he inherited despite all the political distractions he didn’t abandon them, but rather believes in continuity and has even introduced more projects. That is commendable and a great stewardship! I think if he continues in the strides he has started with, Rivers State is going to be great under him.”
Another person who was fascinated by the governor’s performance in the last one year is the Principal Assistant Registrar, University of Port Harcourt, ThankGod Wizor.
He said that Fubara has done well in less than one year in office in spite of political distractions.
Wizor was emphatic: “So far, so good, Governor Fubara has done well in less that one year in office. Personally, I would like to score him sixty percent as an administrator.”
He, however, appealed to the political opponents to sheath their swords and allow the governor to concentrate on governance.
“I want to appeal to Rivers people, politicians and youths to support the governor to actualise his dreams in governance.
“I want to beg our politicians to eschew violence and embrace peace and allow the governor to concentrate on governance and stop distracting him”, he pleaded.
The Principal Assistant Registrar noted some modest achievements recorded by the Fubara administration in the area of education, health and security, but appealed to the governor to overhaul some of these sectors.
He, particularly, wants the governor to set up a fact-finding committee to assess the level of decay in the state education system with a view to addressing some of the challenges bedevilling the sector.
“It would interest you to know that in some of our rural communities, most of our students and pupils sit on the bare floor to study”, he lamented.
In the area of human capital development, Wizor urged the governor to mop up unemployed youths in the State.
He said, “Although, I understand he recruited few into the health sector, but that is not enough and even the 10,000 employment promise he made to Rivers people, please, let him do it well and give out these jobs to our youths.
“The State has huge number of unemployed youths roaming the streets; civil servants are retiring every month from the service, people need to be employed to boost the manpower in the service. The space created by these retirees need to be filled up by engaging our youths in the civil service.”
On the issue of security in the State, Wizor said, “So far, so good, the security of the State has improved. Governor Fubara is working hard to improve the security networks of the State.”
However, he appealed to the governor to ensure that all the communities and fishing ponds in the state are properly secured.
“I want the governor, as a matter of urgency, to deploy Marine Police and Navy to our creeks and waters for periodic surveillance of our coastal areas. The issue of pirates, sea robbers should be tackled, our sea travellers need to be secured. Those doing business along the river coast should also be secured. Generally, the security of lives and property of an average person doing business in the State is very important”, he said.
Traditional rulers are not left out. The Eze Oha Evo III of Evo Kingdom and Eze Gbakagbaka of Woji Community in Obio Akpor Local Government Area, King Leslie N. Eke, said Governor Fubara has performed wonderfully well.
“In the area of road construction, he has proven that he has plans to stabilize the state economically.The flag-off of the Egbeda-Omuoku and that of Trans Kalabari Road is second to none.
“The construction of the 20,000 housing units at Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area is a great testimony. This is to say that the governor has been bothered about the challenges faced by the people in the area of housing. He actually came prepared”, the monarch asserted.
Another traditional ruler in the State, the Amayanabo of Minama Community in Asari Toru Local Government Area, King Ibruoma Talbot, commended the governor for his laudable achievements in his first one year in office.
King Talbot who is also the chairman, Asari Toru Traditional Rulers Council, particularly commended the governor for the award of the Phase Two of Trans Kalabari road project, describing the road as a major project in the State.
According to him, the road will open up the area not only for the movement of persons but will also boost the economy of the State.
Speaking in the same vein, the Onyeishi Ala of Chokota Community, Igbo-Etche in Etche Local Government Area, His Royal Highness, Eze Ishmael Okechukwu, described Fubara as God sent to the Rivers people.
He noted that within the last one year, the governor has touched all the major sectors of the State’s economy, adding that the opening up of major roads across the State is a pointer to the fact that the governor has the people at heart.
The monarch, however, called on the governor to look at the state of the Chokota-Umuebula Road which links the area to Port Harcourt-Aba Road, saying the road is in a bad state.
In his own assessment, the leader of Simplified Movement in Omerelu Ward 5, Ikwerre Local Government Area, Comrade Chinwendu Orduwa, said the governor is doing excellently well.
“For example, the N100,000 support to civil servants as Christmas bonus was superb. Such was never heard of since the creation of the State. Workers smiled once in eight years!”, he said.
Orduwa continued: “That State workers were stagnated for eight years called for no joy. Sim could be simply called the Redeemer of workers’ hope sequel to his actions. No wonder the Scripture says that when the righteous rule, the people rejoice.”
He also hailed the governor’s decision to build a youth secretariat in the State.
“I can say that the governor is youth friendly. Imagine having a youth secretariat for the first time in the history of the State, that means the governor had such in mind before coming on board”, he said.
Meanwhile, an Immigration Officer in Rivers State who pleaded anonymity, noted an improvement in the area of security in the State within the last one year of Fubara’s administration.
He said, “I can say that there is a lot of improvement in the area of security in the State. As an operator in the Passport Unit, I can tell you for free that the side of the State we occupy used to be a flashpoint before now. There were pockets of cases of robbery along that axis of the State. But for some time now, the crime has drastically reduced to a barest minimum.”
Also speaking, the youth leader of the Rivers State Council of Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Musa Brown, described Fubara as the most Muslim friendly governor in the State since the beginning of democracy in 1999.
He said Fubara is the first governor to give Muslims gifts during the Salah celebration and even during the last Christmas even though they are not Christians.
Brown also described the governor as a non detribalised leader who opens his hands of friendship to all ethnic and religious groups in the State.

Boye Salau with reports from John Bibor, Akujobi Amadi, Susan Serekhara-Wikhana, King Onunwor & Chinedu Wosu