Before I returned to Nigeria in 2005, I was weighing my options on what city to settle in. The options that looked endearing were Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt for obvious economic reasons. They were about the only three cities in Nigeria at the time that had any semblance of economic activity.
Then I came to Nigeria and visited all three cities. Lagos was a hell of an experience teething on the brink of suffocating collapse. Abuja was a relief. Beautiful and serene but pretty much a boring place at the time. Port Harcourt on the other hand appeared like a better alternative than Lagos. It had a Night life with lots of expatriates everywhere you turned. It looked very promising plus it had lots of money. This was just before the Niger Delta crisis snowballed and engulfed PH.


Fast Forward 8 years later>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Lagos has seen tremendous improvement. Infrastructure has been and is continually being upgraded. Commute time has reduced. Economic activity is impressive. The city is becoming more international by the day. The city tough still a difficult place, you get the feel that the Government is really working to improve the lives of the citizens. Scattered across the internet is pictures of the new Lagos with improvements all over. And one good sign: International Hotel chains scrambling to take a pie in the cities landscape. And the credit for this must go mainly to the very excellent Administrative style of Governor Fashola.

Abuja also has seen tremendous improvement. The boring tag has been erased. The city remains the most livable and continues to see tremendous improvement both in infrastructure and economics. Abuja is know for the excellent real estate scattered across the city. More than enough pictures of the city everywhere on the internet.

Port Harcourt on the other hand is nothing to write home about. The city is as unappealing as it gets. There is literally no coordinated infrastructure development in the city. Every corner is littered with traffic jams that aren't caused by the number of cars on the streets but by the parlous state of the roads. Visit the city and you leave it overtly uninspired. There is still lots of money in the city as a result of the oil industry no investment are pouring in from the private sector because there is no framework to support it.

In the days pre 2005, numerous international Hotel chains were looking to get in on the city- Novotel, Le Meridian, Best Western,Protea. However, while Lagos continues to scoop many new chain, Port Harcourt has not had a single new Hotel development.
Finally, there are no pictures of new and wonderful looking PH scattered on the internet like you have of Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Uyo, Benin and the likes. Development doesn't hide. If it is happening, people will snap pictures and show it proudly.

Truth is nothing except the building of schools has happened in PH in the last 6 years. And the failure is attributable to the Governor. He receives the highest allocation of any state, presides over a small landmass, has only one urban area to deal with and yet the city of PH still looks like a cesspit. Yet he moves from place to place making noise as if he has created an Eldorado out of Port Harcourt. His speech on the state of our economy was the height of his hypocrisy. If Okonjo should resign, then Amaechi should be jailed because while she has obviously brought real sanity and confidence to the Nigerian economc system, Amaechi has overseen the decline in the state of Rivers.


To understand the failures of Amaechi, I have opted to do a comparison between Rivers State and the Country of Rwanda and to show what it means to grow an economy. Rwanda experience a brutal civil war and had its country destroyed. But its has bounced back tremendously and continues to out-stand analysts and economic watchers.

RWANDA VS RIVERS STATE


[size=13pt]RWANDA[/size]
Population: 11 Million
GDP: $16 Billion
Budget: $1.67 Billion
Size: 23,000 SQ km



[size=13pt]RIVERS STATE:[/size]
Population: 6 Million
GDP: $19 Billion+
Budget: $3 Billion+
Size: 12,000 Sq KM.


Rivers State has more money, less responsibilities ala Land area and Population than Rwanada. Yet the pictures below would tell you why Amaechi should shut up and work. He has amongst the highest Budget per Capita in the country and yet he has failed to impact his little state.
While Rwanda has had barely $7 Billion in Budgets for 11 million people over the last 5 years combined, Amaechi has had almost $20 billion Dollars for just 6 million people.

The Nigerian FG's budget is just 7 times the size of Amaechi's Rivers state budget($22 Billion vs $3Billion) despite have more than 30 times the responsibility in population and almost 100 times the size in landmass and another multiple times over in responsibility ala Defence,Security, Foreign Affairs, Power, et all.
So why is Amaechi failing and yet having the effrontery to pontificate. There surely is something wrong with Nigeria where an obvious failure stands on a stage and shamelessly calls people who are working hard to resign. Pathetic.

PICTURES OF THE CITY OF KIGALI
And all these have been happening in Rwanda over the last six year, during a period which Amaechi has been Governor of Rivers State with a budget of $20 Billion vs Kigali's meagre $7 Billion

What has your Oga done for Riverine people in particular and Niger Delta in general? Let us start with that. I'll list Amaechi's contributions outside Port-Harcourt.

1) Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo road with several bridges. By December this year and for the 1st time in the history of mankind my Opobo brothers can drive their families home by road with their family car which they use in Aba, Port-Harcourt or Yenagoa. http://www.nigeriannews.net.s2.gvirabi.com/index.php/sid/215283906/scat/8db1f72cde37faf3

2) The Rufus Ada George ring road in Okrika which is ironically Patience Jonathan's hometown.

3) Ogu/Bolo link road. Ogu-Bolo LGA is inhabited by same Okrika people.

4) Trans-Kalabari highway which will link all Kalabari communities is under construction as I write. This is something many considered impossible in the past.

All these projects are in riverine areas which has same terrain as Bayelsa.

PapaBrowne: PICTURES OF THE CITY OF KIGALI
And all these have been happening in Rwanda over the last six year, during a period which Amaechi has been Governor of Rivers State with a budget of $20 Billion vs Kigali's meagre $7 Billion

I quite agree with you on how well Rwanda has done. Infact it has outclassed Nigeria. However you must admit that Amaechi is one of the best in Nigeria and is obviously a better leader than Jonathan.

Now watch this video: And you'll understand why Amaechi should be working and not talking!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=myu5vRa6cvE

PapaBrowne: Now watch this video: And you'll understand why Amaechi should be working and not talking!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=myu5vRa6cvE

I think it is best to change the title to "Rwanda an evidence of judicious leadership". That way we can take a very critical look at Nigeria in general and understand how wicked our leaders are and how dirty our followers are. Why can't Nigerians repaint their buildings, mow their lawns and dispose of refuse adequately. The state of Kigali should be a shame to all of us claiming giant of Africa. We need complete re-orientation.

abagoro: What has your Oga done for Riverine people in particular and Niger Delta in general? Let us start with that. I'll list Amaechi's contributions outside Port-Harcourt.

1) Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo road with several bridges. By December this year and for the 1st time in the history of mankind my Opobo brothers can drive their families home by road with their family car which they use in Aba, Port-Harcourt or Yenagoa. http://www.nigeriannews.net.s2.gvirabi.com/index.php/sid/215283906/scat/8db1f72cde37faf3

2) The Rufus Ada George ring road in Okrika which is ironically Patience Jonathan's hometown.

3) Ogu/Bolo link road. Ogu-Bolo LGA is inhabited by same Okrika people.

4) Trans-Kalabari highway which will link all Kalabari communities is under construction as I write. This is something many considered impossible in the past.

All these projects are in riverine areas which has same terrain as Bayelsa.

Who is my Oga??

If you are talking about the FG headed by Jonathan, I would not join issues. I know his minijsters are working hard and getting global accolades.
I know whats happening in Agriculture. I know what is happening in Aviation. I know what is happening in power. I know what is happening with regard to how much investments are trooping into the country.
I know how slowly but steadily infrstructure is coming back up. I saw Julius Berger trucks on Lagos- Ibadan Expressway. I saw intense work on East west road. I attend conferences globally and I know the kind of accolades this government gets in the areas it is working wonderfully and most importantly, despite the immense security challenges it has faced since inception.

PapaBrowne:

Who is my Oga??

If you are talking about the FG headed by Jonathan, I would not join issues. I know his minijsters are working hard and getting global accolades.
I know whats happening in Agriculture. I know what is happening in Aviation. I know what is happening in power. I know what is happening with regard to how much investments are trooping into the country.
I know how slowly but steadily infrstructure is coming back up. I saw Julius Berger trucks on Lagos- Ibadan Expressway. I saw intense work on East west road. I attend conferences globally and I know the kind of accolades this government gets in the areas it is working wonderfully and most importantly, despite the immense security challenges it has faced since inception.

Give him a four year score card. I've not felt much of the impact from FG in Rivers State. The 18hours power I'm enjoying is courtesy Rivers government, the road I travel on whuch is PH-Owerri is work of Rivers government. East-west road and Aba express are the worst major roads in Rivers State. A journey from Port-Harcourt to Obigbo which is 5km takes up to 4 hours. Choba to Eleme is not a better story.

When i see pictures of Kigali it reminds me of how Enugu could have looked if it had been the capital of an Igbo nation.....having non of the encumbrances that being part of a 'toxic' nation brings with it!

This is a landlocked nation, with no oyel, and one that has just recently come out of a civil war.....yet they are excelling because of a true nationalistic fervour, with everyone pulling in the same direction and placing Rwanda first b/4 other interests!

IGBO-SON:
When i see pictures of Kigali it reminds me of how Enugu could have looked if it had been the capital of an Igbo nation.....having non of the encumbrances that being part of a 'toxic' nation brings with it!

This is a landlocked nation, with no oyel, and one that has just recently come out of a civil war.....yet they are excelling because of a true nationalistic fervour, with everyone pulling in the same direction and placing Rwanda first b/4 other interests!

I think a new thread on Rwanda is needed in this politics session. I've been motivated by the pictures. Our problem may not lie with leadership alone but bad followership.

Its obvious that nigerian Leaders are the poorest set ot minds u can get world over. All they do is kill, steal n destroy,typical of what the devil does u might say.
Let me make a wild guess....maybe the OP was sponsored...or maybe not.its just a tot buh what baffles me is how we Nigerians never fight underdevelopment or corruption for the right reasons. All we do is politicize Corruption. We make the electorate see reasons y they shldnt vote for a corrupt leader n then we profer a more corrupt contestant as replacement.

Let's call a spade a spade n not a spoon...Nigeria has to wakeup...places like angola et al are gradually replacing us all for the fact that we have institutionalize corruption.

Abagworo:

Give him a four year score card. I've not felt much of the impact from FG in Rivers State. The 18hours power I'm enjoying is courtesy Rivers government, the road I travel on whuch is PH-Owerri is work of Rivers government. East-west road and Aba express are the worst major roads in Rivers State. A journey from Port-Harcourt to Obigbo which is 5km takes up to 4 hours. Choba to Eleme is not a better story.

Because by design, the impact you should feel in Rivers State should come from your Governor and his Local Government Chairmen. The FG has been here for barely 3 years and if you go across Nigeria, you will know things are happening. I specifically stated that the FG has just 7 times the Budget of Rivers state($22 Billion vs $3Billion) yet it has 30 times the population( 6 Million vs 170 Million) and about 100 times the landmass(923,000 sqkm vs 12, 000 sqkm) and dozens more in responsibility.

What for crying out loud have you seen in PH that says the Government has spent $20 Billion in the last 5 years?
All I see anytime I'm in PH is jeeps upon jeeps upon jeeps. The suffering in the city is intense. At least unarguably, we all know that Fashola has done a good job in Lagos and we can see the pictures of that improvement.

Now Abagworo, can you show me any pictures of PH that says $20 billion has been spent in this city?I want just a few nice pictures like we have of say Lagos, Enugu and Uyo or Calabar.
I've used Kigali because it has slightly similar stats with Rivers State in terms of financial availability ala landmass and population.

PapaBrowne:

Because by design, the impact you should feel in Rivers State should come from your Governor and his Local Government Chairmen. The FG has been here for barely 3 years and if you go across Nigeria, you will know things are happening. I specifically stated that the FG has just 7 times the Budget of Rivers state($22 Billion vs $7Billion) yet it has 30 times the population( 6 Million vs 170 Million) and about 100 times the landmass(923,000 sqkm vs 12, 000 sqkm) and dozens more in responsibility.

What for crying out loud have you seen in PH that says the Government has spent $20 Billion in the last 5 years?
All I see anytime I'm in PH is jeeps upon jeeps upon jeeps. The suffering in the city is intense. At least unarguably, we all know that Fashola has done a good job in Lagos and we can see the pictures of that improvement.

Now Abagworo, can you show me any pictures of PH that says $20 billion has been spent in this city?I want just a few nice pictures like we have of say Lagos, Enugu and Uyo or Calabar.
I've used Kigali because it has slightly similar stats with Rivers State in terms of financial availability ala landmass and population.

With the way things are going, I believe Owerri will look better than Kigali 3 years from today. That Amaechi does not go about with helicopters like Akpabio taking pictures of Port-Harcourt does not mean he has not done much more. Maybe I should help him with few pictures I'll take in coming weeks.

The Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo road is a notable achievement. Opobo was inaccessible by land since the history of mankind. The Trans-Kalabari highway is also a very big achievement. I don't want to go into upland area like Port-harcourt and environs, schools, hospitals, complete drainage designing and implementation, dualizing and as well upgrading previously deplorable roads etc.

Thanks Papabrowne, but unfortunately most NLers do not like facts, cos they are lovers of emotions and illusions. I said this before, the cost of building all the new schools is less than N100bn, what has he done with the remaining 3.1tn? U feel that the govt is working, when can confidently pin point 10 sectors that are receiving the same amount of attention and funding like education. No other sector! More so, Rivers is heavily indebted in $bns; comparing debt to income ratio of the state. GEJ is corrupt, but Amechi and his cronies are far worse and leading Rivers to bankruptcy

This is serious.
Nigerians are being scammed.
I am sure delta state would be even worse when compared with its african contemporary.

@op i hav a question for you. Is dia any nigerian city apart frm lagos nd abuja datz mor developed dan port harcourt?

Spiff20: @op i hav a question for you. Is dia any nigerian city apart frm lagos nd abuja datz mor developed dan port harcourt?

Ans: There is no Nigerian city besides Lagos and Abuja that are more developed than Port Harcourt forever. As in even when I was borne in PH yeears ago, it was the second most developed city in Nigeria.

But there are numerous Nigerian Cities that have been better improved than Port Harcourt over the last 5 years. Infact, PH has actually deteriorated while others have improved.
Uyo, Benin, Calabar, Enugu and a host of other have experienced much more improvements than Port Harcourt.

I repeat, I'm a PH boy of sorts as I was born there, grew up a little there and visit quite often. And PH is an Eyesore. The places that should give the city pride are not nice at all. Even GRA and its surroundings nothing to right home about. I was in Enugu around February this year and I met a pleasant surprise. There is pictures of beautiful Cities accross Nigeria and there is no Picture of Port Harcourt. Even Warri, PH's younger sister is beginning to be more impressive than Port Harcourt.

So my question to you: Amaechi has spent $20 Billion in the last 5 years. Can you show me a sinlgle picture of PH that says, money in billions of dollars was spent on me.

pls this thread should be devoid of tribalistic comments. only political, social and economic ones are needed.

Abagworo:

I think a new thread on Rwanda is needed in this politics session. I've been motivated by the pictures. Our problem may not lie with leadership alone but bad followership.

^^^There's some truth in your assertion, though we can also say that leaders are elected from among the followers (in the case of Nigeria: 'selected').

The problem in our case is that over the years (since the 60s), there seems to be an acceptance of politics being taken over by touts, thugs, and semi-illiterates that are in governance and politics only for selfish reasons!

@op, you have to understand that the federal form of govt/laws to be the major clog in the wheel of progress for most states especially southern states.
Lagos would have been doing well in terms of power generation...including others like abia, akwa ibom and rivers but for our useless power distribution law.

careytommy: @op, you have to understand that the federal form of govt/laws to be the major clog in the wheel of progress for most states especially southern states.
Lagos would have been doing well in terms of power generation...including others like abia, akwa ibom and rivers but for our useless power distribution law.

Yes you are right. But look at it this way. Since the states don't have to invest in power, shouldn't we see even more wonderful urban infrastructure like we see in Kigali given that more money would be available to invest since they aren't investing in expensive things like power. Why are the roads in PH still a mess. Why is there no area that PH and Rivers State can brag about. Why for crying out loud does Port Harcourt still look like it is Congo having spent almost $20Billion in 5 years.

Op I agree with you that Ameachi can and should do more vis-a- vis the resources available to him. But he should and must not keep quiet, I will even advise him go to court if he feels aggrieve.

PapaBrowne:

Ans: There is no Nigerian city besides Lagos and Abuja that are more developed than Port Harcourt forever. As in even when I was borne in PH yeears ago, it was the second most developed city in Nigeria.

But there are numerous Nigerian Cities that have been better improved than Port Harcourt over the last 5 years. Infact, PH has actually deteriorated while others have improved.
Uyo, Benin, Calabar, Enugu and a host of other have experienced much more improvements than Port Harcourt.

I repeat, I'm a PH boy of sorts as I was born there, grew up a little there and visit quite often. And PH is an Eyesore. The places that should give the city pride are not nice at all. Even GRA and its surroundings nothing to right home about. I was in Enugu around February this year and I met a pleasant surprise. There is pictures of beautiful Cities accross Nigeria and there is no Picture of Port Harcourt. Even Warri, PH's younger sister is beginning to be more impressive than Port Harcourt.

So my question to you: Amaechi has spent $20 Billion in the last 5 years. Can you show me a sinlgle picture of PH that says, money in billions of dollars was spent on me.

when last did u visit PH? mayb u shud come nd see 4 urself cos i dnt av tym 2 go abt taking pictures.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA20y54qBSk

Kigali: The safest & Cleanest City in the World, Rwanda 2011

[size=15pt]You forgot to mention that Rwanda also fund its powerful armed forces, universities, more than 100 embassies with ambassadors around the world with just $1.3 billion dollars.Amaechi does not have to worry about any of that.

Other Niger delta governors have improved their states,built impressive roads and flyovers, built airports,building deep seaports some have embarked on uncommon transformation to completely overhaul their rural state within a record time.Even Non-Niger Delta states as Jigawa and Gombe have built impressive infrastructure. Lawanti International airport has the longest runway in Nigeria, and it was not built by an oil producing state!

So what has Amaechi really done in ONLY Port Harcourt all these years? The only project he had all these years, the Rivers metro light rail, has remained a pipe dream..
[/size]
[size=20pt]No doubt, AMECHI is a thief and a thug.
The worst is that he completely has no vision and try to cover it up by making trouble to distract us from his huge deficiencies.[/size]

Spiff20: @op i hav a question for you. Is dia any nigerian city apart frm lagos nd abuja datz mor developed dan port harcourt?

Enugu city is light years ahead of PHC in terms of development and serenity. PHC should be compared to the likes of Aba, Onitsha, Asaba etc.

Warri _Pikin: [size=15pt]You forgot to mention that Rwanda also fund its powerful armed forces, universities, more than 100 embassies with ambassadors around the world with just $1.3 billion dollars.Amaechi does not have to worry about any of that.
[/size]
[size=20pt]No doubt, AMECHI is a thief and a thug.The worst is that he completely has no vision and try to cover it up by making trouble to distract us from his huge deficiencies.[/size]

A case study for the whole naija...we are corrupt n our use of resources leaves much to be desired....SHAME

This is the most foolish thread ever, by a typical nigerian. How can one compare a state (Rivers) to a country (Rwanda)? Even if Rivers gets $1 trillion a month, it's less likely to beat Rwanda with say, a $100m a month. This is simply because Rivers cannot do anything without the interference from Abuja. Until the useless zoological republic of nigeria ceases to exist, there is absolutely nothing good that will come out of that place.

adconline:

Enugu city is light years ahead of PHC in terms of development and serenity. PHC should be compared to the likes of Aba, Onitsha, Asaba etc.

Who is this bush man? In Nigeria we have only Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Abuja.