Doubtlessly the administration of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike is working to ensure that it puts smiles on the faces of residents of Rivers State.
Within one year in office, the governor had initiated programmes especially in the area of urban renewal that had brought dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of Rivers people. The governor is fulfilling his electioneering promises, there is no controversy about that.
However, despite the governor’s efforts to ensure total development across the length and breadth of the state, some public office holders especially commissioners working under the governor are dragging the laudable policies of his administration back through their lackadaisical attitude.
Recently our correspondents carried out critical assessment on the administrative performances of commissioners in the state, and later came out with report that, eleven (11) commissioners performed below the expectation of the masses. They are unable to key effectively into the New Vision of Governor Wike.
These non performing commissioners include:
- Chief Ibibia Walter: He was the former state secretary of the Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He is currently the Commissioner in charge of the Ministry of Water Resources. Since he took over the mantle of leadership of the Ministry of Water Resources, taps are no longer running, there is scarcity of water supply; which affects mostly people who are residing in the urban centre like Port Harcourt, the capital city where residents carrying buckets on their heads searching for water. Water is essential in human life, with the non-availability of portable drinking water, there is wide spread of water borne diseases such as cholera and other related sicknesses in the state, more common in the rural areas. He scored 5%.
- Barr. Mrs. Ukel Oyahiri: She hails from Abua/Odual LGA. She is the Commissioner for Women Affairs, that has no plans of initiating programmes that will improve the welfare of the women in the state. The ministry under her watch lacks all what it takes to drive the Rivers women to the next level. Women in the state are suffering because of lack of policies that will effectively tackle their needs. Hence, public analysts and social commentators are calling for her sack, due to her ineffectiveness in administration. We scored her 5%.
- Mrs. Tonye Oniyide Briggs: She is a Kalabari born politician from Abonnema, the headquarters of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism is under her care. The importance of culture and tourism in the socio-economic development of a state cannot be over emphasized. Every reasonable society is promoting its culture and devising ways of improving on its tourism. Tourism industry in Rivers State is dead because of her inertia in administrating the ministry. As far as our findings and reports are concerned Mrs. Oniyide Briggs could not on her own initiate ideas that will ignite activities that will generate revenue into her ministry. She lacks the required knowledge to explore the tourism industry. Findings shown that she is not fit to be in that ministry if the state wants to make revenue through culture and tourism. We scored her 4.5%.
- Opuwarisenibo Rodaford Long John: He handles the affairs of the Ministry of Local Government. His ministry is performing below the expectation of the Rivers people, especially local government council staff. A lot of frauds are taking place in the local government system, but Hon. LongJohn is adamant about them. Council workers have not received salaries in the past four (4) months, while Hon. LongJohn happily sits down in his office without proffer solutions to the problems. According to reports we gathered, Hon LongJohn is insensitive to the plights of the local government areas. We scored him 7%.
- Chief Ephraim Nwuzi: He is the Commissioner for Employment and Empowerment. Since he took over the activities of the Ministry, nothing good is happening. The ministry’s empowerment programme is nothing to write home about, as there are no concrete empowerment plans that are visible for the eyes to see. Due to his ineffectiveness in handling issues on employment and empowerment, the rate of unemployment is going up day by day. He scored 8%.
- Hon. Chinyere Igwe: He is in-charge of the Rivers State Ministry of Urban Development. Since he came on board, he has never improved on the development pattern of the urban centres both in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt. People faulted him for recruiting some violent thugs and touts in his ministry and engage them in the ongoing demolition exercise in Port Harcourt. Hon. Chinyere Igwe had hidden agenda in the demolition of the shanties and people abodes as some landlords in Eagle Island openly accused him of land grabbing and encroachment. His thugs terrorizing street traders by impounding their wares to unknown destination. At Afikpo Market, Mile 1, Hon. Igwe’s task force constituted themselves as a bunch of criminals and hooligans to unleash mayhem on female traders who protested against their sack. The poorly way and the manner in which Hon. Igwe is handling the Urban Development Ministry, if unchecked he will soon soil the good image of the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike. We rated him 5%.
- Dr. Austin Tam George: He is the Commissioner for Information and Communications. In the past few months his ministry is not doing well in terms of publicizing the policies and programmes of the government. The publicity machinery of the state is weak. Because of his inability to project the Wike’s administration, the opposition parties especially the major one, All Progressives Congress, APC has taken the advantage of Tam-George’s poor publicity. Besides his ineffective performance his relationship with the Rivers Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ is not cordial. His continue stay in the Rivers Executive Council will not do the state any good. We rated him 10%.
- Deacon Akie Dagogo Fubara: His Ministry of Transport is causing problems in Port Harcourt City and its environs. Touts and criminal elements are taking over the Ministry in the name of Task Force, terrorizing motorists and extorting money from drivers. Deacon Fubara’s task force has caused much damage in the state, because of their rude behaviour and uncivilized action against drivers and roads users. He has never improved on the existing transportation system in the state. He scored 5%.
- Prof. Kainye Ebeku: He is the Commissioner for Education. Since he has assumed office his impact has not being felt in the education industry. He is less concern about the non-challant attitude of teachers. Female teachers have turned their classrooms into market where they sell all kinds of wares. This is the highest order of indiscipline. There are lot of unapproved schools operating in the state, thereby promoting low performance of education and learning. In the rural areas pupils and students are still sitting on the floor while learning. These pathetic situation did not border Prof. Ebeku. We scored him 5%.
- Hon. Prince Ogbogbula: He is the Rivers State Commissioner for Youths. His hidden policies and agenda, use to administer the ministry had caused division among youth bodies and organizations in the state. He has no better ideas to unite the Rivers youths, and his ministry is full of confusion and crisis. Several youth organizations have slammed the commissioner for his inability to carry the youths along in the scheme of things, thus they are calling for his removal. We rated him 5%.
- Prof. Roselyn Konya: She handles the Ministry of Environment. This is her second time to head that ministry. During her first term in the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, she scored above average in her performance. But since she resumed office last year, her performance had dropped below average, she could not perform better because of her failure to discharge her official duties, the environment in Rivers is stinking. The pollution in the state is high. Residents in Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor LGA dump refuse indiscriminately thereby making the State Capital and its environs look unkempt. Our assessment team scored her 4%.
Our assessment reports also contained that if the Governor wants to succeed in ruling the State, he should take bold step to relieve some of his appointees of their positions. Political pundits said if he fails to do that, some of the appointees will bring disgrace to his administration in no distant time.###
