In a bid to ascertain the true identify of the waterfront inhabitants, in human capacity building, manpower and skills development, a British High commissioner, Peter Carter and officials of British parliament had visited Chicoco community Radio Studio at Okrika Waterfront to find out the true nature of the people of waterfronts communities and the reasons for the operations of the said radio studio.
The visit which took place on July, 9th 2013, at about 2pm attracted personalities and Human Right organizations which include: Moira Welch Parliamentary outreach officer, Africa programme, Elizabeth Donnelly-Asst. Head/Research Fellow, Africa programme, James Duddridge-member of parliament, Roch ford and South end East and Meg Hillier MP-Hockeny South & Shoreditch: Others were Michael, Amnesty International, Fubara Tokibuiye-community engagement manager of C-MAP and Merlin.
In their separate speeches, the parliament officials said they were in Port Harcourt to work together with the government in order to achieve set goals that would better the lives and aspirations of the waterfronts dwellers, adding that they shared the same view with the would be personnel of the said radio studio, as their visit has nothing to do with British politics, but to ask and share the views, aspirations and challenges of inhabitants when the radio studio starts operations, and to ensure human rights activities.
The British parliamentarians noted that over the years there had been agitation on forceful evictions, non existence of mangrove forest areas (waterfronts communities) in the Port Harcourt map as well as waterfronts communities as home for criminals/militants. These they said were allegations of the government and queried why the government has painted the waterfronts communities in such bad pictures. They however, adviced that irrespective of negative perceptions towards the inhabitants of the waterfronts, the residents should strive to create an enabling environment that would attract other socio-economic development, stressing that with the establishment of the Chicoco Radio, their voices would be heard by the government and government has right to develop such areas, if it deemed it necessary by putting social amenities in the right manner.
Earlier, a radio presenter (name withheld) among the Chicoco radio personnel opined that she was happy when she heard that the Rivers State government had mobilized uniformed personnel to demolish the militants camps (waterfronts communities), but later felt bad and cried bitterly on seeing the suffering and maltreatment of 95% innocent residents, saying that “the government had been deceiving us with the name of the militants camps” as there were no militants among the suffering and maltreated citizens.
Others who spoke in their separate speeches pointed out that they knew their rights, “but government used the military to wedge against our peaceful protest during the forceful demolition of Njemanze, Abonnema Wharf, Bundu, Ama among others, adding that Amnesty International, C-map and other human right organizations had revealed more legal means of knowing and fighting for one’s right.
One elder Ebenezer, Evangelist Clement Wakama, Mr. Okpokiri Benny, Mr. Precious, among others reiterated that with Chicoco radio and with the support of right organizations, the voices of the waterfront people would be heard all over the world, government would not depict the waterfronts dwellers in bad pictures unveiling that the only project that was close to the waterfront embarked upon by the government was the beautification of the Port Harcourt cementery, as government never cared to ask the people what would be their needs, stressing that government only recognized them on election period.
Meanwhile, Mr. Michael of the Amnesty International and Mr. Fubara Tokuibiye, Community engagement manger of C-Map pointed out that what prompted the right organizations to engage Rivers State government at the ECOWAS court of Justice was orchestrated by forceful eviction of the inhabitants of the aforesaid communities on which lands, according to them, had grown elephants grasses and wild life, adding that Bundu Ama alone had 500 voting strength and 56 voting units.
However, Mr. Daniel warned that the government should not be totally condemned irrespective of the fact that it had not really touched the lives of the waterfronts dwellers and have not sited projects but must accept the fact that the distance between certain social amenities which include primary health centres and schools were not up to 3 kilometre, saying that “it is not too late for the government to still come and site befitting projects” or they use their voices through the Chicoco Radio to alert government of the existence of real people at the waterfront.
In the same vein, one Pamima revealed that as a people of the city their parents had always restricted them from going to the waterfront communities as government had been rejecting scholarship applicants from waterfront communities, but later realized that the waterfront areas were safe Haven, a place where normal citizens, students, traders, clergy men (Christian/Muslims), government civil servants and all classes of people resides.
Speaking further, Mr. Daniel among others admitted that crimes as well as hoodlums were all over the world, including UK, USA, among others, pointed out that the civilized world had labelled such crimes as organized crimes, but would not want anybody in such pictures in the areas. ###
