RT. HON. CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI, EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF RIVERS STATE: A PROFILE Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is the Governor of Rivers State. He was born in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on 27th May, 1965 to late elder Fidelis Amaechi and his loving wife Mrs. Mary Amaechi.The young Chibuike started his educational life at St. Theresa’s Primary school from 1970 to 1976, where he passed his first school leaving certificate, after which he proceeded to Government Secondary School Okolobiri in 1977, finishing and earning his West African School Certificate in 1982. The lure to improve his lot amongst his peers took him to the University of Port Harcourt in 1983, where he graduated with an honours degree in English Studies and Literature in 1987. University of Port Harcourt was where he laid the foundation of his political life, participating actively in student union politics, especially in the National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS) of which he was President, and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). On completion of his National Youth Service in 1988, he joined the services of Pamo Clinics and Hospital ltd., owned by the former Executive Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Dr. Peter Odili where he worked as Public Relations officer until 1992 when he joined partisan politics emerging as the Secretary of the National Republican Convention in Ikwerre Local Government Area. From 1992 -1994, he was Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor of Rivers State and also a member of the Board of Directors of West Africa Glass Industry as well as Risonpalm Nigeria Limited. On resumption of political activities in 1996, he joined the Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) emerging as the State Secretary of the Party’s Caretaker Committee. He held this position until the political development was halted following the death of General Abacha. In 1999, General Abdulsalam Abubakar made true his promise of handing over power to an elected civilian government. The young but astute politician was at the forefront of the horse-trading, which finally gave birth to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) offering himself for election as State Legislator. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was a unanimous choice amongst the elected legislators for the position of Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly in June 1999. During his tenure as Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly was the most productive Legislative House in Nigeria, garnering the Nigerian Union of Journalists (Assembly Correspondents) award of Excellence in June 2000. In November 2000, Amaechi became the Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Assemblies, a position he held for two terms because of the trust and confidence his fellow Speakers had in him. As Chairman, Conference of Speakers, Rt. Hon. Amaechi in August 2003 established the secretariat of the Speakers at 12 Zaire Crescent, Maitama Abuja. The secretariat under his supervision became a clearinghouse for those seeking legislative information and experience. At the end of May, 2003, Rt. Hon. Amaechi was returned to the House and re-elected as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Also in 2003, when the National Assembly moved to hijack the legislative functions of State House as enshrined in the constitution, he led his members to victory in the famous Supreme Court judgment, that the control and supervision of local government is the prerogative of State House of Assembly. He became governor on October 26, 2007 after the supreme court pronounced him the rightful candidate of the People’s Democratic Party PDP and winner of the April 2007 Governorship election in Rivers State. After winning his party’s primaries for the 2007 elections, Amaechi’s name was substituted for no just reason. Being a believer of the rule of law, he took the case to court, and at the Supreme court he got his well deserved victory, a victory for the masses. Governor Amaechi was in April 2011 re-elected for a second term in office following his outstanding performance during his first tenure. He is currently the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum NGF. As Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Amaechi has overhauled the education sector and rebuilt the health sector with completed and ongoing 160 Primary Health Centres, three ultra modern hospitals, over 300 Primary schools and 24 model Secondary schools, all meeting international best standards. He also facilitated yearly overseas scholarship for university education through the Special overseas scholarship scheme of the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency RSSDA, an agency he established by law to see to the needs of the rural people and fast track development; and through the Rivers State Scholarship Board. His administration has invested massively in infrastructure development, construction and reconstruction of roads and bridges, sticking to the vision of connecting all parts of the State by road. Expansion and reconstruction of some major roads in the Port Harcourt metropolis have been achieved as well as construction of internal roads in rural areas and land reclamation in some coastal parts. Meanwhile more roads have been awarded and 50 per cent of roads in Port Harcourt have been re-awarded. The governor is also committed to meet the needs of commuters as his administration is building the first monorail project in sub Saharan Africa to provide mass transportation within the city of Port Harcourt. This is also aimed at decongesting traffic in the metropolis. His administration’s target of 715 megawatts of Power to ensure adequate power supply in the State is nearing completion, as 460 mega watts has been completed, 130MW at Trans Amadi, 150MW at Omoku, 180MW at Afam, while 75MW at Onne is ongoing. Another 180MW is starting up at Afam to make the total of 715MW. The Governor is in talks with the Federal Government to allow the State distribute its power to ensure regular power supply to the people. He actualized the Greater Port Harcourt City Master plan and has kick started development there with the construction of the new Adokiye Amiesimaka stadium and the planned new Rivers State University of Science and Technology. The Amaechi administration has also sought to create job opportunities through Agricultural development which also serves as an alternative economy to crude oil, hence the establishment of the Songhai Rivers Initiative Farm, modeled after the Songhai farm in Port Novo, Benin Republic. The 314 hectare farm is 20 times bigger than the Songhai farm in Porto Novo. The farm has employed and is engaged in training of young Rivers men and women in new farming methods, boosting productivity with innovative technologies in agriculture. Governor Amaechi has exhibited transparency and accountability in his administration as governor of Rivers State and has made the office of governor as approachable as never before. He leads a participatory style government, maintaining constant communication with the people. He has also took it upon himself to remove the secrecy in the expenditure of government funds by initiating the passage of a bill setting up the Rivers State Due Process Commission, for the exercise of due process on all Rivers State Government procurement and contracts. He also ensured the institution of Public Private Partnership and many other developmental policies and programmes. In the area of the arts, Governor Amaechi adopted the Garden City Literary Festival which is now like an international yearly ritual, gathering intellectuals from different climes, seeking ways to improve the society using literature and encouraging book reading amongst the people. Also, the Port Harcourt Carnival popularly referred to as CARNIRIV is another event revived by the Amaechi administration, now a yearly at Christmas time, the carnival gives residents an opportunity to relax and have fun as they savour the cultural heritage of the State. The Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who holds the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger(CON), is a Christian catholic and a Knight of Saint Johns. He is married to Dame Judith Amaechi, with whom he has three boys
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 03:45:23 +0000
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