Two years ago ( 17th June 2021), the former leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Dr Chidi Lloyd assumed office as the Executive Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area after a swearing-in ceremony performed by the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, H.E Nyesom Ezenwo Wike following his landslide victory in the April 17, 2021, local government elections in Rivers State.
Amid the high level of decadence in the leadership and administration of Emohua local government on assumption of office, Dr. Chidi Lloyd fueled by the determination to reposition the LGA and change the unpleasant narrative about the area, mustered a strong energy fertilized by the political will to hit the ground running with a tour of facilities within the local government area and series of engagements with relevant stakeholders, to carefully study the situation on ground, identify causes and proffer possible solutions.
The tour of facilities and stakeholders engagements was immediately followed by an action plan, first was to end the corruption in the financial management of the local government council, with a staff biometric screening exercise to ascertain the true workforce and establish the nominal role of the local government council, a step that didn’t go down well with many, including the beneficiaries of the irregularities in the payroll of the local government council which includes ghost workers, fake employment and fake promotions.
The biometric screening exercise which was supervised by the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission led to the recovery of funds from overpayment of salaries to ghost workers, fake employment and fake promotions.
Assuming office immediately after the unregulated community-based vigilante groups (OSPAC) across Emohua LGA were disbanded by the administration of his predecessor, Dr Chidi Lloyd proactively sponsored a bill for the establishment of Emohua LGA Vigilante Services (EMOVIS) to be regulated and funded by the local government, in line with his administration’s commitment to sustaining peace and security in the LGA, which was speedily considered and approved by the legislative assembly.
While the local government immediately built an operational secretariat and provided operational vehicles, uniforms, communication gadgets and other essential materials for the local government vigilante services, communities across the LGA nominated members of the vigilante group for profiling by the security agencies.
Some members of the disbanded OSPAC were also recommended by their respective communities based on their track records.
Worthy of note is the fact that the present commander of the local government vigilante service (EMOVIS) was also one of the commanders of the disbanded OSPAC and his choice was based on his clean record and experience.
Today, Emohua LGA prides itself as one of the LGAs in Nigeria with an organised security outfit, with legislative backing and regulated by the government, and this has helped to checkmate the multiplicity of unregulated community-based vigilante groups and their excesses across Emohua local government area.
Recall that the administration of High Chief Tom Aliezi had already approved and announced the disbandment of OSPAC vigilante groups across Emohua LGA following reports of their excesses, ranging from interference in marital, chieftaincy and land disputes, as well as involvement in illegal oil bunkering activities across the communities in Emohua LGA.
The establishment of EMOVIS as an organised vigilante group regulated by the local government not only gave a face to the local government security architecture but also changed the narrative about the local government area as it concerns the security of lives and properties in the area.
Peace and security didn’t only improve in Emohua local government area under the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd after the inauguration of EMOVIS by the Rivers State Police commissioner, the new security architecture also gave room for the infrastructure revolution witnessed across the LGA within two years of the administration.
Before the emergence of Dr Chidi Lloyd in 2021, insecurity was the most significant factor militating against development in Emohua local government area; the government couldn’t execute intended infrastructure projects in parts of the local government area due to the level of insecurity in the area.
Though the mantle of leadership of Emohua local government council was handed to Dr Chidi Lloyd at a time the people of the area were just recovering from full-blown insecurity but the story is totally different today… Emohua local government is today adjudged to be a construction site because of the numerous infrastructure projects conceived and executed simultaneously across the area by the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd to complement the numerous infrastructure projects executed in the local government area by the Rivers State Government.
Since it is said that ‘ No meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere devoid of peace and security’, It is therefore not out of place to attribute the infrastructure revolution witnessed across Emohua LGA within two years of the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd to the prevalent peace and security in the area in the year under review.
From the total transformation of the local government council headquarters with new structures springing up from left, right and centre, to the simultaneous construction of a series of road projects and other critical infrastructure projects situated at strategic locations across Emohua local government area, one can only agree that Dr Chidi Lloyd actually came prepared to reposition Emohua local government area.
A. ALREADY COMPLETED INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS (Within 2 Years).
1. Construction of 1 Kilometer Eveku Road with 2 Kilometer Drainage in Eveku-Odegu.
2. Construction of 1.5 Kilometer Uke-Eli Road with 3 Kilometer Drainage in Rundele.
3. Construction of Chief Nyesom Wike Drive, Akpabu New Layout, Akpabu Community.
4. Construction of Emohua Local Government Primary Healthcare Centre (Cottage Hospital).
5. Construction of Emohua Local Government Council Canteen (Cafeteria).
6. Construction of Emohua Local Government Council Chapel and Marriage Registry
7. Construction of the first-ever ATM Gallery in Emohua LGA operated by Titan Trust Bank
8. Construction of Emohua Local Government Area Vigilante Services (EMOVIS) Secretariat Building.
9. Construction of Emohua Local Government Council Convenience
10. 20, 000 Litre Braithwaite Water Scheme Reticulating Portable Water within the Council Headquarters
11. Provision and Renovation of the Temporary Site for the Magistrate Court Complex in Elele-Alimini
12. Construction of Cold Chain for Emohua Local Government Primary Healthcare Centre
13. Emohua Local Government Council Electrification Project
14. Distribution of Electricity Transformers to communities
B. ONGOING PROJECTS
1. Construction of Ultramodern Emohua Local Government Council Administrative Building
2. Construction of Emohua Local Government Council Pavilion (Mini Stadium).
3. Reconstruction and Remodeling of the Emohua Local Government Council Legislative Assembly Complex
4. Construction of 1 Kilometer Ubimini Road with 2 Kilometer Drainage in Ubimini Community
5. Construction Emohua Local Government ICT Hub
6. Remodeling and Completion of the Emohua Local Government Secretariat Building (Office Complex) abandoned by successive administrations
8. Construction of Doctor’s Residential Building and Staff offices for Emohua Local Government Primary Healthcare Workers
9. Construction of Emohua Local Government Council Store (Warehouse)
10. Braithwaite Water Reticulation Scheme in Akpabu community
11. Construction of Emohua Divisional Police Headquarters situated opposite the Emohua Campus of Rivers State University along Emohua-Kalabari Road.
The unprecedented infrastructure revolution adjudged to be the new standard in local government administration in Nigeria couldn’t have been possible without the existence of peace and security.
It is common knowledge that insecurity is a global issue, but Dr Chidi Lloyd’s administration has made tremendous progress in the fight against crime and criminality in Emohua local government area.
The recent dislodgement of different criminal hideouts and the apprehension of very notable and notorious kidnappers and armed robbers that previously terrorized parts of Emohua local government area by security personnel is a manifestation of a strong synergy between the administration of Dr Chidi Lloyd and the security agencies.
Dr Chidi Lloyd has remained unwavering in the fight against insecurity and the gains recorded so far are a clear manifestation of his commitment to the security of lives and properties in the area.
Sustaining the infrastructure revolution in Emohua LGA requires all support because the security of lives and properties is a collective responsibility.
Stakeholders, Community Leaders and Residents of Emohua LGA, as well as road users, are urged to support the government and the security agencies with reliable information to aid the fight against crime and criminality, for the overall development of Emohua local government area and Rivers State at large.
Bright Jossy-Elendu is the Chief Press Secretary To The Chairman, of Emohua Local Government Area.
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