— As Emohua LGA Witnesses Unprecedented Infrastructural Revolution In One Year
As the current crop of Local Government Council chairmen across the 23 LGAs in Rivers State clock one year in office, especially those in their very first term, the administration of Dr. Chidi Lloyd in Emohua Local Government Council can be said to be on an entirely different level from his counterparts in other LGAs, especially in the area of infrastructural development and effective leadership, little wonder why his armchair critics upon his emergence as the chairmanship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the April 17, 2021 council election, opined that he was way beyond the position of a council chairman.
Before 17th June 2021 when Dr. Chidi Lloyd was sworn in as the executive chairman of Emohua Local Government Council, following his electoral victory in the April 17, 2021 council elections in Rivers State, Emohua Local Government Area was just recovering from full-blown insecurity, ranging from cult related activities, kidnapping, armed robbery and chieftaincy disputes which claimed lives in the area on daily basis and militated against the development of the area over the years.
One year into the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd the story can be said to be entirely different; Emohua Local Government Area which over the years suffered underdevelopment is visibly witnessing rapid development under Dr. Chidi Lloyd.
The Local Government Council which was referred to as one of the underperforming councils in Rivers State is currently adjudged to be one of the best, if not the best performing Local Government Council in Rivers State, in terms of infrastructural development.
No doubt, Dr. Chidi Lloyd has within one year changed the age long negative narrative about the area which has over the years scared investors from considering the area, today Emohua can be said to be the new investors destination in Rivers State, with real estate development companies, civil engineering companies, oil and gas servicing companies and hoteliers already trooping into the Local Government Area.
Pundits have on several occasions described the achievements of the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd within one year as the new standard in Local Government administration.
ROAD CONSTRUCTION
Under Dr. Chidi Lloyd Emohua Local Government Council is simultaneously executing four different road projects across the local government area, with a view to improving the socioeconomic life of the people of the area.
1. Construction Of 1 Kilometer Eveku Road With 2 Kilometer Drainage in Eveku Community, Odegu Clan, Emohua LGA:
The construction of Eveku road is one of the signature projects of the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd. The road which is being constructed with two side drainage system is the first ever tarred road in Eveku-Odegu since the community was founded.
Eveku road which is currently undergoing asphalt laying is expected to be commissioned during the one year anniversary celebration of the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd in July.
2. Construction Of 1.5 Kilometer Ukeli Road With 3 Kilometer Drainage in Rundele Clan, Emohua LGA:
Ukeli road is a major access into and out of Rundele communities in Emohua LGA.
Amidst the importance of the road to the people of Rundele, Ukeli road is one of the roads in Emohua LGA that never felt the touch of asphalt since the community was founded but after a tour of parts of the LGA that needed government attention and out of his magnanimity and to the greatest surprise of the people of Rundele, Dr Chidi Lloyd gave approval for the construction of the 1.5 kilometer road with 3 kilometer drainage.
The road which upon completion is expected to serve as an alternative route from Rundele communities to the East-West road is making appreciable progress and expected to be up for completion after the inauguration of Eveku road.
3. Construction Of 1 Kilometer Ubimini Road With 2 Kilometer Drainage in Ubimini Community:
The ongoing construction of 1 kilometer Ubimini road with 2 kilometer drainage in Ubimini community, Emohua LGA was envisioned by the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd to provide access road for a section of the community who have over the years suffered lack of good road following the asphalting of the first phase of the main access road in the community.
Recall that Dr Lloyd during his tenure in the State Assembly constructed the 1st phase of Ubimini road as part of his constituency project. The council is currently undertaking the construction of the 2nd phase which leads to the end of the community, to consolidate on the achievements of the council chairman while he served in the state assembly, in fulfilment of council chairman’s promise to the people of Ubimini community.
4. Construction Of 1 Kilometer Chief Nyesom Wike Drive With 2 Kilometer Drainage In Akpabu community, Emohua LGA, already nearing completion:
Chief Nyesom Wike Drive is the access road to the Akpabu New Layout recently created by Dr Chidi Lloyd.
The road which is being constructed with two side drainage is the fourth road project being executed simultaneously across Emohua Local Government Area by the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd.
Upon completion, Chief Nyesom Wike Drive is expected to open up the newly created reserved area for real estate development.
Aside the above mentioned road construction, the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd has also embarked on interventions in road grading at Chief Ken Woke road and Anara-Odumgbe road in Isiodu Emohua, Obele-Elele road linking Emohua and Ikwerre LGAs, as well as Akpabu road.
SECURITY
Following the establishment of the new Emohua local government security architecture christened ‘ Emohua Local Government Area Vigilante Services’ (Emovis), a creation of the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd, backed by law and regulated by the local government council, the secretariat building being constructed to serve as the administrative office of the security outfit is already completed and awaiting inauguration and formal handover to the vigilante services, amidst security patrol vehicles already provided to improve improve internal security in the LGA.
Also on security, the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd aside the consistent provision of logistics support to the different security agencies and special security units in the area, has donated security patrol vehicles and armoured personnel carriers to the different security establishments in the area, with a view to sustaining the already existing peace and security in the area.
It might also interest you to know that the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd is currently undertaking the fencing and security tower building at the divisional police headquarters in Rumuji town.
HEALTH
On assumption of office in 2021, Dr. Chidi Lloyd met a local government healthcare center that was a shadow of itself in the council secretariat and within one year in office the council chairman has developed a state of the arts healthcare center likened to a cottage hospital. The project is ready for commissioning and formal handover to the primary healthcare management board during the one year anniversary celebration of the administration.
JUDICIARY
Aside the proposal transmitted to the chief judge of Rivers State for the creation of Emohua division of Rivers State high court, the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd has also completed the renovation of the temporary site for the proposed Elele-Alimini magisterial district of the magistrate court.
The administration of Dr. Chidi Lloyd is also undertaking the fencing of the court complex in Rumuji, a complex that houses the only magistrate court and customary court in the entire Emohua local government area.
EMPOWERMENT
To cushion the effect of hardship occasioned by the economic downturn in Nigeria, the administration of Dr. Chidi Lloyd on assumption of office initiated a monthly empowerment program which captures not less than seventeen (17) persons in each of the 14 political wards in the LGA. The empowerment program is still in process.
ELECTRICITY
1. Provision of Transformers:
Following reports of power outage in parts of Emohua LGA, the administration of Dr. Chidi Lloyd through its electricity intervention program has donated three electricity transformers to Ubimini community and Rundele communities to boost power supply in the area.
2 Council Electricity Project:
Before the emergence of Dr Chidi Lloyd, the local government council was powered by a generating plant because of the disability of the electricity installations in the council secretariat, while the neighbourhood of the council enjoyed public power but upon assumption of office, the council chairman approved total rehabilitation of electricity installations in the council secretariat, with a brand new transformer to power the entire council.
The council electricity project had long been completed and council secretariat now enjoys public power supply, as against the old norm of depending solely on generator.
HOUSING
1. Construction Of Emohua Local Government Council Secretariat (Administrative Building):
Emohua Local Government Council secretariat is currently viewed as a project site and the entire LGA nicknamed the project headquarters of Rivers State, following the massive infrastructural projects being executed simultaneously across the area.
Before the administration of Dr. Chidi Lloyd came on board, successive council chairmen and their principal appointees shared an L-shaped boys quarter building with the works department, a very old structure that was unbefitting of the office of the executive chairman but upon assumption of office and after a tour of facilities in the council secretariat, Dr. Lloyd approved the conceptualization of a befitting administrative building to house the executive arm of the local government council.
The project which upon completion would certainly become the best local government administrative building in Rivers State is already nearing completion.
2. Construction Of Emohua Local Government Legislative Council Complex:
Before the emergence of the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd, successive administrations paid deaf ears to the welfare of councillors in the council who were subjected to uncomfortable working condition, occasioned by insufficient office space for members of the legislative council and staff of the council.
In line with his administration’s commitment to the welfare of members of the local government legislative council, Dr. Chidi Lloyd approved the reconstruction and remodeling of the legislative council to provide a befitting plenary hall and comfortable office spaces for all councillors and staff of the legislative council, with a marching order to the contractor handling the project which has to do with the quality of the project, as well as its delivery timeframe.
3. Construction Of ATM Gallery In Emohua:
30 years after the creation of Emohua LGA, the people of the area never had the presence of any financial institution, neither have they ever had the opportunity to use an automated teller machine (ATM) to make withdrawals built within the LGA.
Before the emergence of Dr. Chidi Lloyd, residents of Emohua LGA travelled to neighbouring Choba community in Obio-Akpor LGA, Elele in Ikwerre LGA and Ahoada in Ahoada East LGA to seek financial services.
Today, the story is entirely different, as Emohua LGA now enjoys the services of a solar powered Titan Trust Bank ATM Gallery situated within the council headquarters in Emohua, courtesy of the administration of Dr. Chidi Lloyd.
STAFF WELFARE
1. Completion Of Abandoned Emohua Council Office Complex:
Following the non availability of sufficient office space for the highly populated workforce of Emohua local government council, which most council workers has over the years claimed to be the reason for their absence in their duty posts, the administration of Dr. Chidi Lloyd has approved the completion and remodeling of the council office complex initiated by the administration of Hon Allen Nma and abandoned by successive administrations in the council.
The office complex which is already making appreciable progress will upon completion provide comfortable office spaces for staff of the council and some agencies of government with establishments in Emohua LGA.
2. Construction Of 500 Seater Pavilion (Mini Stadium):
Upon assumption of office as the chairman of Emohua LGA on 18th June 2021, Dr. Chidi Lloyd after a tour of facilities in the council discovered that the council staff had no meeting place, hence they gathered under the tree for any meeting of a great number of persons, as successive administrations unfortunately watched the roof of the council hall fall off on daily basis. Irked by the deplorable condition of the council hall, Dr Lloyd immediately directed the works department to work out modalities for the construction of a 500 seater pavilion in the council secretariat.
The construction of the pavilion which is making appreciable progress is upon completion expected to provide shelter for gathering of crowd of people, as well as venue for council staff meetings and other government activities.
The pavilion is also expected to generate revenue for the council, as it would be open for use by individuals and groups who can afford the rent.
3. Construction of staff canteen:
In line with his administration’s commitment to the welfare of staff in Emohua council, Dr Chidi Lloyd is currently completing an ultramodern cafeteria conceptualized by his administration to provide good and healthy meals for staff and visitors in the council secretariat.
This project is amongst those earmarked for commissioning during the one year anniversary celebration in July.
4 Construction Of Emohua Local Government Chapel And Marriage Registry:
Emohua council has had one of the worse marriage registries in Rivers State but the coming of Dr Chidi Lloyd has given hope to the emergence of one of the best marriage registries in Rivers State situated in Emohua local government council.
The marriage registry as conceptualized by the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd is built under the same roof with the council chapel.
Recall that Emohua local government council never had a chapel since its creation in 1991 and the staff of the council never had a place of fellowship all these years.
Upon completion, the chapel is expected to serve as a place of devotion and special religious programs for council staff, as well as members of the public, while the marriage registry is expected to generate revenue for the council, as it will be opened to members of the public seeking to legalize their marriages.
5. Construction of Ultramodern Council Convenience:
Recall that upon assumption of office in June 2021, Dr Chidi Lloyd met a council secretariat without a public convenience for staff and visitors in the council secretariat.
Irked by the non availability of a public convenience which subjected staff and visitors to using the nearest bushes and farmlands as their toilet, Dr Chidi Lloyd immediately approved the construction of an ultramodern convenience to be situated within the council secretariat.
The convenience which is already in use is divided into male and female sections, with solar powered electrical installations.
EDUCATION
In line with his administration’s commitment to improving the standard of education in Emohua LGA, Dr Chidi Lloyd had conceived a 350 capacity ICT studio for computer based learning and exams situated in the local government council.
The project is upon completion expected to generate revenue for the local government council, as the facility would be leased to examination boards, schools and corporate organizations for their computer based , learning, exams , seminars and workshops.
WATER
Sequel to his administration’s commitment to reposition and modernize the local government council headquarters , with a view to making it stand out amongst other council headquarters in Nigeria, the chairman of Emohua local government area, Dr Chidi Lloyd is currently executing a 20,000 gallons braithwaite water project, to reticulate water across the different departments and buildings within the council headquarters.
The aim of this project is to eradicate the multiplication of water projects at different sections of the council secretariat and to improve the provision of portable water within the council secretariat.
EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP/PRUDENT MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES:
Prior to the emergence of Dr Chidi Lloyd as the democratically elected chairman of Emohua LGA in the April 17, 2021 council election in Rivers State and his subsequent swearing in on June 17, 2021, Emohua council was one of those referenced as underperforming councils in Rivers State, due to lack of effective leadership and policy development and implementation by successive administrations but the story has today changed within one year of the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd.
Upon assumption of office in June 2021, Dr Chidi Lloyd after a careful consultation and examination of the council financial management system FMS, approved a holistic biometric verification of the council staff, to establish the true salary strength of the council and smoke out ghost workers in the council nominal roll and every channel used to divert council funds.
The exercise which was conducted in partnership with the State local government service commission and done according to the departments in the council, exposed the age long irregularities in the council nominal roll by successive administrations, who corruptly entered the account details of their relatives, friends and cronies into the council payroll without the certification of the State local government service commission.
The exercise also revealed the illegal and criminal conversion and promotion of some staff from their original grade level to their choice grade level, in total contravention of the laws establishing the state local government service commission.
The report from the biometric exercise which also had representatives of National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) as observers, had since been put into implementation by the local government management committee and the recoveries from irregularities and over paid salaries is actually what has turned Emohua local government area to the project headquarters of Rivers State.
Although the corruption in the system may not have been totally eradicated by the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd which also faces reprisal attacks from the beneficiaries of the age long irregularities in the system but the council chairman is one that is endowed with the Will-Power to ensure that the right thing and not what people consider as the usual is done in the local government council under his watch.
Truly the people of Emohua LGA can now feel the presence of a local government administration in the nooks and crannies of the LGA.
Dr Chidi Lloyd hasn’t only rewritten the story of Emohua LGA with positive narrative but the council chairman has also written his name in the sands of time as the first ever council chairman in Emohua LGA (elected and appointed) to have asphalted a road in any community across the 14 wards of the LGA.
It is also worthy to note that Dr Chidi Lloyd stands tall as the first council chairman to embark on four different road projects simultaneously in the third tier of government in Rivers State and even beyond.
A visit to Emohua local government council secretariat in Emohua town will blow your mind, as the entire council is currently undergoing transformation, with new structures springing up left, right and center, as envisioned by Dr Chidi Lloyd.
Emohua LGA is today adjudged to be one of the most peaceful and secured LGAs in Rivers State with increased inflow of investors and property developers because the council is led by a visionary and committed administrator, who is putting in his best to ensure that the LGA stands tall amongst its equals, and that person is Dr Chidi Lloyd, a Law Ph.D holder and established political leader who is respected across board.
Indeed, Dr Chidi Lloyd has set Emohua LGA on the path of greatness and greater shall he himself continue to go in life, to the glory of God and benefit of mankind.
As he clocks one year in office, our prayers are with him, just as we stand strong and unwavering in our loyalty to his administration.
Bright Jossy-Elendu is the Chief Press Secretary to the chairman of Emohua Local Government Area.
17/6/2022
