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SHORTLY after the 2003 general elections, the Rivers State government under the leadership of Dr. Peter Odili deemed it fit to make known its reform agenda to the people of Rivers State.

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The reforms which focused mainly on education, electricity, and road construction amongst others was initially seen by citizens of the state as ill-timed.

Observers also felt such reforms constituted a mere waste of the state‘s resources even as they believed that such resources should have been concentrated on areas where the state could reap its dividends.

First on its agenda was education, as it went ahead to the improve the structure and aesthetics of all the primary and secondary schools in the State. The project, which were expected to lead to the facial, structural and aesthetic improvement of all the educational institutions in the state is aimed at adding value to the quality of life of students and staff of the educational institutions in the state.

According to Dr. Peter Odili, the project is part of the ongoing rapid socio-economic development of various sectors in the state.

Other sectors that have benefitted from these investments include roads construction and resurfacing; new General Hospitals and re-equipping of existing ones; expansion in agricultural holdings in the 23 Local Government Areas and increased bursary and scholarship awards to Rivers State indigenes in universities and tertiary institutions.

All Rivers students in the Law School now receive an increased bursary of N100,000.00 each per annum, while students in universities across the country now receive enhanced bursaries from N50,000 and above per annum. Medical students are now granted maximum support both at home and overseas.

In the area of housing, the state government has so far completed several blocks of housing for members of the Armed Forces – Army, Navy and Air force. The Police formations have also been the greatest beneficiary in this respect because the state government recently delivered well-equipped engine gunboats for patrolling the creeks and rivers in the state to ensure security of lives.

Also keeping with his philosophy to extend services to all in the state, Odili has in the past few years extended financial support to the cultural, youth and religious associations in the state – both Muslims and Christians of all denominations.

Aside this, one of the recent donations made by Odili, which attracted public attention, was the N50 million which was donated to his old school – C. K. C, Onitsha. Throughout the world, the development of core values for the empowerment of future leaders is recognized as a major social responsibility of leaders.

Governor Odili, it will be recalled, has extended this philosophy of supporting and building bridges in Nigeria to various groups which include students, associations, youths and cultural groups, the handicapped, the sick, religious groups and several universities in Nigeria. Dideolu Hospital Foundation was not left out in this trend when he donated, as a mark of honour to the late sage and statesman, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Rivers State is one of the first states in Nigeria to launch free medical services for children under six and for senior citizens above 60 years.

In addition, the Peter Odili administration launched free bus services for students of primary and secondary schools in the state since 1999 to 2000.

Dr. Odili’s medical background is perhaps a driving force in his quest to provide succour to the sick and humanity. To this end, the state government recently acquired a brand new aircraft configured to serve as an air ambulance to provide urgent medical care in the event of a great emergency.

The new aircraft equipped with medical facilities is available for use by any state, individuals or agency in Nigeria because according to the governor, emergency medical ambulance services, hitherto relied on South Africa to service Nigeria. Nigeria now has the facility to offer air ambulance services to her citizens, courtesy of the state government.

In the area of youth empowerment, more than 50,000 youths from all the Local Governments areas of the state have been trained under the skills acquisition project of the Adolescent Initiative of the governor’s wife, Justice Mary Odili. On graduation, they are provided with equipment and capital to establish micro enterprises.

This revolutionary programme has provided self-employment for thousands of youths who hitherto had been used to foment trouble in their communities. Many of these youths are now returning to their villages to establish their ventures because of the availability of improved electricity supply. It will be recalled that Rivers State has established three functional Independent Power Plants, which currently supply regular power in some areas of the state such as the Trans-Amadi Power Plant, Eleme and one at Ogoniland. A new N40 billion IPP, Omoku Gas Turbine is nearing completion and will be commissioned during the year.

The state government which sees some of these reforms as the best way of improving the standard of living of the people and at the time bringing the state to limelight does not argue with the fact that it had to carry out these reforms which it describes a bitter pill to swallow, pointing out that Rome was not built in a day.