The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday, passed the Greater Port Harcourt City and the Port Harcourt City Development Authority bills into law.
The passage of the bills into law followed conclusion of debates on the report of the ad-hoc committee on the Greater Port Harcourt City bill and the appearance of the Sole Administrator of the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority, Mrs Aleruchi Cookey-Gam, in the House, Monday
The lawmakers, after examining the recommendations of the ad-hoc committee, voted in favour of the passage of the bills, after effecting some amendments on the report.
Passing the bills into law, the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Tonye Harry said, by the passing of the bills into law, the state was now set for the commencement of the implementation of the law, regarding the establishment of the new Greater Port Harcourt City in the state.
Hon Harry called on the state Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to urgently constitute the board of the authority to enable the agency commence work immediately.
He thanked the lawmakers for their contributions and patience during the period of the debate, noting that such commitment contributed to the early passage of the bills into law.
Before the passage of the bills into law, some lawmakers, who contributed during the debate, described the law as well intended, saying they would impact positively on the development of the state.
According to Hon Henry Ogiri (Abua/Odua) and Maureen Tamuno (Ogu/Bolo), the law would promote the needed infrastructural development for the growth of the state.
The lawmakers called on their colleagues to support the executive in its bid to reposition the state so that it could compete with other cities in the country in terms of infrastructural development.
The bill passed into law would be known as Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority Law, 2009.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has re-iterated the reason for its conception of the Greater Port Harcourt City.
The state Commissioner for Information, Hon Ogbonna Nwuke said in a statement that the Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi administration decided to embark on the development of the new city in order to provide infrastructure, create more avenues for economic and social growth and decongest the old city.
The information commissioner said that although the British had acquired, developed and bequeathed the areas of the state capital territory, the decision by the Amaechi administration represented “the first indigenous effort to consciously extend the frontiers of Port Harcourt City and bequeath to our people, a city that is properly planned and designed to meet future challenges”.
He urged Rivers people to buy into the plan to develop the Greater Port Harcourt City, saying, “government has decided to showcase the master plan of the new city early next month”.
“We will present the master plan to stakeholders”, the government spokesman said, “and we shall expect all those who wish to know how this administration is tackling their developmental aspirations to take advantage of the unique opportunity to attend the stakeholders summit.”
The commissioner commended Governor Amaechi for the vision, saying, at the end of the day, we shall have a functional, modern and beautiful city, and I have no doubts whatsoever that history would remember this governor kindly when the time comes.
