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Saturday 8 February 2014

Audacity, Sagacity, Fidelity And Faith: A Profile Of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi

Click Here To Vote For Gov. Amaechi As The Most Outstanding Christian Governor In Nigeria

After serving two meritorious terms as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly (1999 - 2007), Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi became the governor of Rivers State on October 26, 2007. This came after a long legal battle culminating in the Supreme Court ruling that pronounced him the rightful candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and winner of the April 2007 Governorship election in Rivers State.

Amaechi’s mandate had been wrongfully taken from him after he won his party’s primaries for the 2007 elections. Being a staunch believer in Jesus Christ and the rule of law, he sought redress with God in prayer and fasting and at the courts. Finally, his faith paid off. At the Supreme Court, he got his well-deserved victory, a victory for the masses, a divine elevation.

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. So far, his administration has completed 160 Primary Health Centres (and is executing a few more), three ultra modern hospitals, over 300 primary schools and 24 model secondary schools.  All of these facilities meet the best international standards. 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 the Rivers State Scholarship Board, the Amaechi administration have facilitated yearly overseas scholarship awards for deserving Rivers indigenes to pursue university education abroad.

In pursuance of his vision to connect all parts of Rivers State by road, his administration has massively invested in the development of infrastructure, and the construction and reconstruction of roads and bridges across the state. Some major roads in the Port Harcourt metropolis have been expanded and reconstructed; there has been a massive construction of internal roads in rural areas and unprecedented land reclamation in some coastal areas. His administration has also awarded the contract for the construction of more roads across the state and has re-warded the contracts for the rehabilitation of 50 per cent of the roads in Port Harcourt.


The governor is also committed to meeting the needs of commuters in his state. To this end, he is currently building the first monorail project in sub Saharan Africa. When completed, this will provide mass transportation within the city of Port Harcourt and decongest traffic in the metropolis.


Amaechi’s administration has recorded giant strides in the power sector. Desirous of meeting the power supply needs of the people of Rivers State so as to drive the growth of the state’s economy, his administration has set a target of 715MW to ensure adequate power supply in the state. This target is in the process of being achieved. The state already generates about 460MW; 130MW at the Trans Amadi power plant, 150MW at Omoku, 180MW at Afam, while work at the 75MW power plant at Onne is in advance stage of completion. Another 180MW power plant is starting up at Afam. This will add up to the envisaged target of 715MW.

The Amaechi administration has also sought to create job opportunities through Agricultural development which will also serve as an alternative economy to crude oil. In pursuance of this goal, his administration has established the Songhai Rivers Initiative Farm (modelled 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 the training of young Rivers men and women in new farming methods, and techniques of boosting productivity with innovative technologies.


Governor Amaechi has also 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.

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 with a participatory style government that maintains constant communication with the people of the state.

The governor has made a conscious effort 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. This is done to ensure the exercise of due process in all Rivers State Government procurement and contracts. He also ensured the institution of Public Private Partnership and many other developmental policies and programmes.


To boost the arts, Governor Amaechi adopted the Garden City Literary Festival and transformed it to a yearly international ritual that gathers intellectuals from far and near and seeks means of improving the society through literature. The festival also seeks to encourage and boost the reading culture in Nigeria. His administration also revived the Port Harcourt Carnival (CARNIRIV) and transformed it into a yearly Christmas event. The carnival has matured into a veritable tourism event that gives residents and visitors to the state 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 catholic and a Knight of Saint Johns. He is married to Dame Judith Amaechi, and has three children (boys).

Governor Amaechi is undoubtedly one of the most outstanding (Christian) governors in Nigeria. He has shown excellence in the quality of his service delivery to his state and provided good governance with transparency and accountability. It is for these reasons that we celebrating him as one of the Most Outstanding Christian Governors in Nigeria. 


3 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Gov Ameachi is indeed Committed to the Service of his Fatherland. He deserves a higher responsibility with the kind of performance we have seen.

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  3. Indeed, Gov. Amaechi has done exceedingly well for his people. People may fault him for his political views, but no one has yet faulted him for not delivering the fabled 'dividend of democracy' for his people.

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