More groups in Rivers State are urging Governor Nyesom Wike to assent to the Neigbhourhood Law which has been passed by the state House of Assembly in order to consolidate on the gains of enhanced security in the state.
Among the groups who have given their support to the law, widely described as proactive, include Rivers Elders Consultative Council led by Chief Granville Abiye Georgewill; Coalition of Rivers Patriots led by Mr. Barilede Thompson; National Association of Rivers Daughters led by Dr. Mrs. Daba Adesanya nee Inko-Tariah; Wike Solidarity Movement led by Dr. Gabriel Pidomson; Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI) led by Bright Amaewhule and Non-indigenes Without Borders led by Hon. Emeka Onowu.
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt, the Special Adviser to Governor on Political Matters and Strategy, Chief Emeh Glory Emeh, lauded the groups for recognising the priority attention the Wike administration is giving to the protection of lives in the state, assuring that the governor would not relent in employing available resources to continue to deliver on his electoral promises.
Reacting to isolated criticisms against the Neighbourhood Watch Law, Emeh, a legal practitioner, said:
“When my attention was drawn to the opinion expressed by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State on the Neighbourhood Watch Law, my first reaction was to ignore it because at the level of Wike’s performance in government, we should understand that he is no longer a leader to be discussed in beer parlours.
“The reason is because, very reasonable people including our elders and professionals who are genuine Rivers men and women have come out to appreciate the standard the award winning governor has put in place in the state.
“There is no doubt that those who criticise the law and indeed any other achievements of the governor are either not residing in the state or have lost touch with reality of governance.
“Take the example of ONELGA that has been under siege all through the eight years of the immediate past administration. All businesses were closed, residents were relocating and opportunists were even buying off properties in the are.
“The people are now enjoying because of the commitment of the governor and Caretaker Committee Chairman, Mr. Osi Olisa, which led to the establishment of Omoku Security Planning and Advisory Commission (OSPAC), an internal security outfit that has given the erstwhile troubled LGA a new lease of life, such that the people can now sleep with two eyes closed.
“The governor’s intervention and the corresponding result earned the governor the title of: Okwu – eme of Ogbaland, which being translated means the man who keeps his word.
“OSPAC, which is like Neighbourhood Watch has shown that such idea can work elsewhere in the state given the success recorded in ONELGA. While we appreciate efforts of the police in Nigeria and Rivers State in particular, there is no doubt that an internal security outfit, with sufficient knowledge of the local environment, especially the history and geography of the area will assist the security agencies in doing their jobs effectivelyâ€, he posited, adding that Rivers people support the Neighbourhood Watch initiative to take full advantage of the benefits recorded by OSCA.
