How Omehia fared in 100 days

Celestine Omehia

John Ogbedu and Bolaji Ogundele write on the first 100 days of Rivers State governor, Sir Celestine Omehia.

The administration of Sir Celestine Omehia in Rivers State is a child of circumstances. He has, however, not allowed the controversial circumstances under which he emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state to deter him from forging ahead.

Governor Omehia was one of the few governors who inherited over N5b in the state’s coffers with investments totalling over N45b from his predecessor, Dr. Peter Odili. Having committed his administration to God at a thanksgiving service held in Port Harcourt, 24 hours after his inuaguration, Omehia started unfolding his five-point action plan, popularly called SHIRE, in a statewide broadcast on June 1.

According to the governor, SHIRE stands for Social Contract (S), Human Development and Quality of Life (H), Infrastructural Development (I), Rural and Agricultural Development (R) and Economic Empowerment and Poverty Reduction (E). One of the greatest challenges that has faced the Omehia-led administration in the last 100 days is the activities of over 103 cult groups in the state. The cultists have been given residents of Port Harcourt, the state capital, sleepless nights, shooting sporadically and in some instances, maiming and killing passers-by.

Although his administration inherited the menace of cultists and militants, Governor Omehia and his team, in collaboration with federal security agencies, have brought the cultists to their knees. Peace is gradually returning to the state. Even as the Omehia-led administration tries to downplay questions over its legitimacy, it has not been spared of criticisms from its opponents, particularly the Action Congress (AC).

There is no doubt that how to tackle the disturbances, precipitated by cultists, who have refused to take the benevolence of the Omehia administration by denouncing their activities and seeking rehabilitation by the State Peace and Rehabilitation Committee (PRC), has preoccupied the mind of the Omehia-led administration in the last 100 days. The Rivers State Peace and Reconciliation Committee, set up by Governor Omehia, has not restricted its peace and rehabilitation move to Port Harcourt. It has, according to its secretary, Mr. Jerry Needam, in an interview with Nigerian Tribune in Port Harcourt, extended its activities to other local governments in the state. It has reconciled many rival cult groups, brought them under one umbrella where they publicly renounced cultism and hostage taking.

Within the governor’s first 100 days in office, the rate of hostage taking has reduced, while the war against cultism and militancy has been intensified. The hoodlums have been driven underground, though the Nigerian Tribune learnt that they have shifted their nefarious activities to the hinterland, where they hope the Joint Task Force (JTF) and the state government forces would not be able to reach them.

Within two weeks of assuming office, the Omehia-led administration embarked on the rehabilitation of streets and construction of drainage system to stem the tide of floods that usually characterise Port Harcourt during rainy season, A tour by the Nigerian Tribune of selected parts of the state revealed that since May 29, the government has completed the electrification projects in New Layout Okposi Community in ONELGA, Lueku Phase II in Khana Council, Chigbu and Okposi Streets in Oyigbo LGA, Ekere Borikiri and Iloarama with a generator set each in Opobo, Gwara Clan in Khana LGA and Obohia in Omuma LGA.

Also completed within the period under review are the Ogbu Health Centre in Ahoada East LGA; two multipurpose halls in Omuma LGA; Neighbourhood Water Scheme at Okoloma in Abua/Odual LGA; integrated water project at Ula Upata in Ahoada East LGA; Unyeada Health Centre and renovation of six-classroom blocks at Community Secondary School, Unyeada; all in Andoni LGA, among others.

Work is also in progress on projects like the N3b rebuilding of the ultra-modern Rumuwoji (Mile One) Market at Ikwerre Road in Diobu, Port Harcourt. Omehia is, however, facing opposition over his bid to construct the International Rivmall Shopping Complex in Port Harcourt, which AC said wa an attempt by the state government to displace its chieftain whose office is located in the land earmarked for the complex. The governor’s plan to demolish shanties on the waterfronts, where the cultists are believed to be taking refuge, has also run into troubled water. Critics have argued that it would deprive the Kalabaris of their ancestral homes.

Although these accusations against the governor, including allegations that most of his development programmes have been concentrated in areas termed Ikwerreland, where he hails from are rife, the governor has not lost focus in his attempt to return Port Harcourt to its former glory as the “Garden City”. The state government has, however, debunked claims that the governor is concentrating on the development of Ikwerreland at the expense of other parts of the state.

Consequently, work on the steel bridge at Eagle Island, the expansion of the Iloabuchi Street in Diobu and that of agriculture training school for young farmers, the rehabilitation of the burnt new Layout Market, and the construction of a new specialist hospital to cater for women and children, among other projects, are going on in Port Harcourt.