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Africcon Report:I’ll make Rivers a better place – Amaechi
Africcon New Media – News
Riveres State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has given the assurance that he will leave the state better than he met it in 2007.
Amaechi, who gave this assurance on Friday when members of the Nigeria Institute of Architects, Rivers State chapter, visited him in the Government House, Port Harcourt, said part of his transformation agenda was to leave a legacy hinged on transparency and accountability.
The governor explained that his administration could account for its stewardship within the past six years.
He noted that his government had built 350 schools out of the 700 proposed, while 250 of the schools had since been operational.
According to the governor, who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Tele Ikuru, 120 primary health care centres have been completed out of the 150 proposed to boost the health sector.
Amaechi said, “Part of the things we have promised to do when we came is that we are going to leave Rivers State better than the time we came in.
“So, Rivers State should be better than when we came in and I believe that in the last six years we have been able to discharge our duties in such a way that those who appreciate will agree that we can conveniently account for our stay in government.”
Commending the NIA for playing prominent roles in the development of state urban renewal policy, especially the Greater Port Harcourt, Amaechi said the NIA had one of the most brilliant minds.
“We are able to redesign Port Harcourt through your valuable inputs. The NIA is a partner in progress in the administration’s efforts at developing the state.
“I give an assurance that our long standing relationship will be sustained through future collaborations,” the governor added.
Earlier, the NIA Chairman, Mr. Dike Emmanuel, commended the state government for its reforms in the building sector and emphasised that the situation had reduced quackery, building collapse and revenue loss.
•Death toll now 47
Saturday PUNCH learnt that 28 riot policemen who survived the attack were released by the militia and returned to their base in Akwanga.
Some of them returned to base without their rifles which they lost to their attackers.
The Public Relations Officer, Nasarawa State Police Command, Michael Ada, confirmed the return of the policemen to one of our correspondents on Friday.
He said that 17 others were still missing, adding that they had been presumed dead since they were yet to be seen two days after.
“The 17 missing policemen are presumed dead because they have been missing for over 48 hours. So this brings the number of the dead to 47. But the search and rescue teams are still searching for the missing officers and they have yet to report back to the headquarters,” Ada explained.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abayomi Akeremale, also confirmed the return of the 28 policemen.
Akeremale told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lafia that some of the policemen held hostage by the group during the attack were released on Friday morning.
He said 17 corpses of the slain officers were yet to be recovered. He explained that a total of 93 policemen were deployed for the operation, out of which 43 were suspected to have been killed.
Akeremale said that a suspected member of the militia had been arrested and was in police custody, adding that investigations on the incident were going on.
Akeremale also said he would visit the Squadron 38 Mopol Base in Akwanga to appeal to spouses and children of the slain policemen, who blocked the Akwanga-Lafia highway on Friday in protest over the killings.
•Protesters block expressway
Meanwhile, no fewer than 200 people travelling through Nasarawa State were on Friday trapped in a village near Akwanga, in an attempt to avoid a roadblock by protesting women and children.
NAN reports that the women and children were protesting over the killing of policemen and other security agents at Alakyo village by the Ombatse militia on Tuesday.
Following the blockade, vehicles tried to go through bush paths but the protesters blocked the paths, saying they were enforcing a restriction of movement through the state.
Some of the travellers told NAN that they were trapped in a remote village off Akwanga, near a local government area primary school and had no protection.
They said the women, who blocked the road, carried big sticks and were already burning car tyres on the bush paths to demonstrate their anger and dismay over the killings.
Commercial transporters and private vehicle drivers were trapped in the blockade.
One of the passengers, Mrs. Victoria Dzeremo, trapped with her daughter, Erdoo, said their vehicle, a commercial bus, had been stopped from further movement few kilometres off Akwanga.
“We have been here in this bush for more than an hour; these women have blocked the road and are demanding for government’s explanation over their husbands’ killings.
“They are here with their children, we have been begging them since to allow us passage but to no avail, the situation is quite serious.
“Now, they have started burning the nearby bush and we are afraid the fire might escalate and affect the vehicles,” Dzeremo said.
The Police Public Relations Officer in-charge of Nassarawa State, DSP Michael Ada, said Akeremale had directed the Area Commander to go and persuade the protesters to open the road.
NAN learnt the protesters insisted that they would only leave the road when their delegation to Governor Tanko Al-Makura returns and gives them a feedback on government’s position.
