AKANIMO SAMPSON

WE WON'T ABANDON TRANS-KALABARI ROAD PROJECT, AMAECHI PLEDGES

GOVERNOR of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi says his administration will not abandon the Trans-Kalabari Highway which was initiated by the Peter Odili administration (1999-2007) as a vote-buying gambit for the controversial 2003 general elections.

In spite of their seeming political antagonism, Amaechi says government will soon re-award the contract for the construction of the Trans-Kalabari Highway because the road when completed would assist to grow the local economy of the Kalabari communities.

The governo gave this indication at the weekend while speaking at a reception marking the 80th birthday celebration of King Prof. Theophilus Princewill, Amanyanabo of Kalabari and Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, at King Amachree Square, Buguma City.

Amaechi said the road project, which would boost the economy of the people was abandoned by earlier contractors, 80 per cent of whom are indigenes of Kalabari land, and wondered why contractors from the Kalabari axis should collect money for projects meant to improve the living standard of their people and abandon the work.

He blamed the attitude of past Kalabari leaders that held positions of responsibility for not doing much to develop their Communities, but assured of the preparedness of his administration to work with them to bring the needed development to the area.

He, however, debunked insinuations in some quarters that other ethnic groups in Rivers State hated the Kalabari people, pointing out that “it appears to him that there is a mistake somewhere by the Kalabaris”, and advised them to unite to correct the perception.

Governor Amaechi urged the Kalabaris to caution their young men to surrender their arms, emphasizing that they should not hide under the guise of Niger Delta struggle to kill innocent citizens, majority who are Kalabaris.

According to him, “we should not in the guise of Niger Delta struggle kill our people, all of us must agree that our children must return their guns, if they want to develop the area, Kalabari people should caution their children”.

He cited a situation where a government contractor building one of the new Model Primary Schools in the area had been harassed constantly with threats, monetary demands, and finally chased away from site by these youths, and questioned why they should stop a development project meant for their benefit.

The governor noted that the Kalabari people are gradually losing their respect which they commanded in the past in all fields of human endeavour in the state, as their youths are now engaged in bunkering activities rather than legitimate means of livelihood.

He remarked that the state government is still looking for more lands in the area to embark on the building of the 10 model primary schools and five health centres in each local government in the area, and appealed to the people to support the present administration’s drive to improve the lives of the people.

Earlier, Chairman of the occasion, Alabo T. O. Graham-Douglas gave a brief historical antecedent of the Kalabari kingdom, noting that despite series of migrations by family groupings caused by warfare for control of the sea routes and trade, the Kalabaris still maintained a solid homogenous front as a kingdom.

Alabo Graham-Douglas, who had been appointed a Minister in Nigeria at four different times in the past, told King Theophilus Princewill that the biggest legacy he could bequeath his people as their Amanyanabo was to focus on the age long unity of the Kalabari kingdom and congratulated him on the 80th birthday celebration.

In his address of welcome, the celebrant, King Theophilus Princewill, remarked that his eightieth birthday, though remarkable, was being celebrated but not without dots of tortuous moments, and expressed gratitude to the governor and all those who graced the occasion.

Highlights of the occasion which attracted the ECOWAS President, Dr. Ibn Chambers, the Ghanaian Ambassador to Nigeria, the wife of the State Governor, Dame Judith Amaechi, top Politicians, Traditional Rulers among dignitaries from various walks of life, include the unveiling of the statue of King Amachree VII, and presentation of a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Jeep, as birthday gift from the governor. ENDS