Like Amaechi, Fubara Makes Attempt At Creating New PH City
2 min read
Even though the dream of creating another city out of the present Port Harcourt City as envisioned by Rotimi Amaechi in his days as governor of Rivers State has not been entirely successful, the current governor, Sim Fubara is now making another move in that direction.
Whereas Amaechi’s new Port Harcourt was targeted at the airport axis, Fubara’s dream is to create a new city around the Eleme flank of the state. A land space of 1,000 hectare has already been earmarked for the purpose and the governor believes that the jinx can be broken.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Rivers State Government, under the supervision of the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority (GPHCDA) and Rainbow Heritage Group (RHG) was signed to this effect on Thursday.
Fubara, who was represented at the signing event by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, said that over the years, the State has remained a one-city State, priding in the Port Harcourt City, even if its expansion has been poorly coordinated as it stretches into Obio/Akpor, Eleme and Oyigbo Local Government Areas.
He explained that the partnership would ensure achievement of one of the three new cities his administration has proposed to establish. “Today, we are going to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and I assure you that the vision of our Governor with the support of Rainbow Heritage Group Limited, and under the able leadership of the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority, we will see the birthing of that New Port City,” he said.
In his speech, the Acting Director General of Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority (GPHCDA), Dr Tonte Davies said the engagement of Rainbow Heritage Group is evidence of the agency’s commitment to achieving the mandate given to them by Governor Fubara to create more cities in the State.
He stated: “His Excellency said it’s 1,000 hectares, but we are working towards having much more than that, because there are going to be other satellite connecting towns to this New Port City.
“It is called New Port City not because we want to just call it a New Port City, but because we look at that area as having the Onne Ports.
“Looking at the Greater Port Harcourt Master Plan, you will see we have three development notes: the Old City, the International Airport and the Onne Ports.
“The Old City is there already existing. The International Airport is where the Phase 1A of the Greater Port Harcourt City is, and now, we have moved towards the Onne Ports.
“And that is how the Greater Port Harcourt City will be pushed forward, just like Rainbow Heritage Group said, towards other connecting towns that will be created.”
Dr Davies assured that the development of the New Port City will bring about massive employment, before, during and even after construction works are concluded, bearing in mind that cities are not necessarily developed in one day.
