The Rivers State Chief Executive Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has declared that he will not choose his successor come 2015 when he must have completed his 8 year tenure; explaining that experience has shown that those who anoint their successors end up as bitter enemies thereafter, adding that he would not want to be a victim of such circumstance.
Gov. Amaechi made this known in an interactive forum with the press over the weekend at the seat of power.
He acknowledged that the school system is not working as planned, adding that the Government was indeed not comfortable with some of the schools without seats and other facilities. He acknowledge that some headmasters charged exams and other illegal fees for the up keep of their schools
To arrest the situation, the governor said government has concluded plans for 250 new primary schools to be commissioned soon.
He said the school will be fully equipped and furnished in line with his administration’s focus. For the new model secondary schools, the governor said seven of them will be ready for commissioning in September this year.
He named the schools to be located at Eleme, Saakpanwa, Oyigbo, Etche, Omuma, Buguma and Emohua.
The Governor also disclosed that one model primary school will be completed and commissioned alongside as a starting point for the planned “200 schools in 200 days in 200 communities in the State” to take care of the deplorable school system.
On the allegation that most of the RSG schools discriminate against the Non-indigenous, Amaechi frowned at the practice.
He at once summoned the Commissioner for Education M/s Alice Lawrence Nemi to answer such allegation. The honorable Commissioner as usual wriggled out of the situation as a
true lawyer she is, saying that there was no iota of truth in it. “We diligently follow our register in the class/school allocation”.
Gov Amaechi hinted that as part of his administration’s plans to improve on education, about 10,080 teachers have been employed out of 91,000 earlier recommended.
Next to be summoned was the Commissioner for Works, Hon. Victor Giadom on why the Mile one market is yet to be occupied inspite of the fact that the government is not owing the contractors
both old and current.
The dazed Commissioner was at a loss on what to say. He managed to pledge that if in 3 weeks time he is not able to deliver, he will resign from the cabinet”.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ, also used the opportunity to express its appreciation to the Chief Executive for fully building their new secretariat for them. However, a member of the council, Mr. Eddie Williams chided the NUJ executives for allowing the RSG take full responsibility of erecting their secretariat for the Union, unlike other unions.
Gov. Amaechi also used the opportunity to assure that the foundation stone for the new Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) would be laid in September 2012 in the new Greater Port Harcourt City.
On health, the Governor said the new world class Keisey Harrison Hospital would soon become operational once the process of handing them over to the foreign firm to run and manage is completed.
On the government shopping Mall at Aba Road, Gov. Amaechi stated that former Governor Celestine Omehia should be held responsible for its non completion.
According to Gov Amaechi, “the contract was over inflated to N3b and N2.5b paid up front by Omehia”.
He pointed out that despite the paltry sum of N5bn the balance, a lot remains to be done there, adding that it was at the same time difficult to cancel the contract without incurring a heavy loss. “It is really a bone in the throat”. And yet the contractors are still asking for variation.
Gov. Amaechi also disclosed that the RSG is not owing any of her contractors a dime. On road construction, he said the contractors should be held responsible for any disappointment arising therefrom.
On power, he said the State Government will spend about 72bn to ensure steady power supply across the State.
On the controversial Monorail project, Amaechi assured that the project will be completed and delivered in 2014, stressing that he is out to prove critics wrong on the project.
On the environmental sanitation, Amaechi regretted spending a whopping sum half a million naira monthly without result, and expressing disappointment on those he placed in charge of it. ###
Joe Kalu
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