Obasanjo Receives Rousing Welcome In Port Harcourt

Obasanjo

Obasanjo: stresses need for African infrastructure

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo received a rousing welcome on Monday when he arrived Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State, southern Nigeria.

He touched down at about 11.05 am in a private Jet to start a two-day visit during which he will commission some projects executed by the state Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s administration.

He was welcomed by Governor Amaechi, Senators and members of the state executive council.

Immediately after the airport formalities he drove in a convoy with the governor.

Members of the various communities where Obasanjo would commission projects lined up the routes of the convoy, causing heavy vehicular traffic.

There was tight security as armed forces personnel and the police were deployed all over. This also caused serious traffic jam.

The first road project Obasanjo commissioned was Chief G.U.Ake road,(Airforce Link road),which was just a link road opened up by former Governor, Peter Odili’s administration but collapsed due to poor engineering work and lack of drainage.

The road was remodelled, redesigned and dualised with  deep underground drainage and awarded to an Isreali company after the Airforce bridge on it collapsed.

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The bridge was redesigned and also reconstructed with two bridges.

In addition to the Airforce bridge is the Eliozu bridge. The road is very vital because it eases traffic from Airforce base, Port Harcourt Aba Expressway and the late Ken Saro-Wiwa road to Rukpokwu,Rumuokoro,East-West road and Airport road.

Other projects to be commissioned include the  popular Songhai  Integrated Farm at Bunu-Tai, Ogoniland; Afam Power Station in Afam; Buguma Fish Farm and about 300 primary and secondary schools and health centres.

Amaechi’s administration had rejected the idea of commissioning projects, but has been forced to reverse that policy because he said the opposition has accused him of non-performance.

Obasanjo was invited to commission the projects because during the Port Harcourt centenary celebration President Goodluck Jonathan was invited but he didn’t show up.

Rather, he sent Oronto Dauglas, his Special Adviser, not even a member of his cabinet, to represent him.

At that occasion, former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon (retd) was chairman.

Gowon expressed regrets that Jonathan did not honour the invitation because he would have used the opportunity to broker peace between him and Amaechi.

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