Encomiums are being poured. On March 9, 2012, Governor Rochas Okorocha of
Imo State threw in one. He spoke well of the Rivers State Governor and
Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi. That
was during a grand reception organised in his honour by the Imo Development
Partners and Imo Indigenes in Rivers, at the Community Secondary School,
Nkpolu, Port Harcourt.
In the words of Governor Okorocha: Your Excellency, I must take notice of
the political, judicial and social indices of your performance in Rivers
State. What you are doing in Rivers State has not been seen before. Thank
you very much. So Governor Amaechi, we are in competition now for doing so
well. I have seen how happy my people are here. It means that Governor
Amaechi is taking good care of them. I want to also thank you…. Imo and
Rivers States share a common boundary and the part that Governor Amaechi
and I should play is to ensure that these two states become one in terms of
road connection and all activities.
Okorocha’s commendation of Governor Amaechi for bringing democratic
dividends to Rivers people for he called, his proportionate deeds in
infrastructural development of the state, was the aftermath commendation of
Amaechi whom many where ecstatically yet to recover from the passionate
role he played during the recent burial of the late Dim Chukwuemeka
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Ikemba Nigeria. (Post mortem award. Mine).
Reiterating, Governor Amaechi promised his supervision’s support to
maintain those doing business in the state and to work together with the
Governor Okorocha, in areas the two governors need to partner to develop
together.
Politics in Nigeria is the most controversial in the world democracies.
Just on May 10, 2012, Labour Day Celebration, many states in the country
were nerves-quaked when news filtered into the air that the National Labour
Congress (NLC) had issued a strike notice because some states refused to
pay the parleyed new Minimum Wage. Reportedly, the outspoken Governor
Amaechi, fired his salvo, saying that the Labour Union Leaders, were
self-absorbed in their activities. Hence, he challenged NLC on sensible
management of human and material resources, because the problem of Nigeria
was not always with the leaders.
At the Isaac Boro Park, Port Harcourt, the Governor said publicly that his
administration has undeniably revitalized the ailing economy and brought
about security and hope. He used the parameter that investors were coming
into the state to buttress his assertions. We may agree that the people are
not competing with the government’s constitutions because people are not
totally law abiding. And this was what Amaechi pinpointed that the
government is doing its best to put the system right. It could further be
added that the people are the system breakers, because if you go around the
cities, you will agree with the governor that there is lawlessness. There
are street markets which don’t allow free flow of traffic, even when the
government builds market for people to relocate, they are deafly
recalcitrant to do so.
How else would a government get the needed result when its people are not
following and respecting laws and order? Not only the street traders which
have become a recurring nuisance in the system, there are drivers who drive
opposite the traffic. Is Amaechi a traffic offender?
While this article was not tended to praise or support Amaechi, we must
believe that there are glaring achievements in any government, no matter
that critics always see the ERRORS always. The governor has promised to
bring in the TUC and NLC in the Board appointments. This is to gain from
their qualities and has promised to build a befitting secretariat for the
NLC and TUC in the State, the same way he confessed that he was so
impressed by the type of primary schools built by his administration.
In that regard, there was a report that Governor Amaechi had approved the
employment of additional 10,000 teachers this year, with target at
furthering the manpower in the educational sector. So, it is imperative
that all and sundry must join hands and collaborate with his administration
in transforming every sectors in the state. We are overstuffed with the
news of corruption that has bedeviled the civil servants. Not only the NLC,
we all must look inwards and devise a means to fashion employment.
It was of note that Amaechi noted that one way his administration has
devised to create jobs was through the Public/Private Partnership (PPP),
which he said that the state had recorded success already with the policy:
with Pabod Breweries and Risonpalm, which were expected to create 5,000
jobs, during the period it is finally given the kiss of life.
It is even amazing to hear that Labour always cry about “the increasing
unemployment”. This brings one to question the purpose of forming NLC in
the first place. Is it to riot the government or to labour in making sure
that the citizens are always save with employments without any repose on
the government? Is it not time we take our fate in our hands?
It is the idea of joining unionism with politics that have swelled the
nation’s security, unity and democracy lapses, not the obverse. While
groups or persons have lauded Amaechi for his achievements so far, it is
time the NLC in the state should urge its members to in like manner
consolidate on achieving for the state as said of Amaechi.
We wish Amaechi the best, especially as he was appointed Malaria Ambassador
by Health Ministry.
