Rivers’ lingering political tension, which has thrown up leadership uncertainty and poor development policy, has punctured the state’s economic growth trajectory, analysts who spoke to Business a.m. have said.
Today, there have been growing complaints over the poor sanitary state of Port Harcourt, the state capital, which along with sporadic security incidents and prolonged power outages are compounding public anxiety. Many residents are questioning if there is any form of governance and service delivery in the state, whose $33 billion GDP has been starved of development.
Analysts say the protracted political tiff between Nysom Wike, minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja and the state governor Siminalayi Fubara has unsettled the state’s leadership structure, keeping the economy in freeze mode. There are absolutely no new investments in the state for about 12 months, according to analysis by some economists at the South-South chapter of Institute of Chartered Economists of Nigeria (ICEN). “The political spat between the gladiators appears to be casting a pall over administrative focus. Visible development projects remain limited, and public concerns continue to mount,” one ICEN member reacted to inquiries by Business A.M. in Port Harcourt.
Amid the growing discontent, poor governance, little or no economic growth, with mounting unemployment, residents of parts of Port Harcourt metropolis protest continued blackouts by the electricity distribution firm, PHED. In Rumuodomanya area in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, residents have voiced their angst over what they described as a prolonged blackout in their community, due to no service by PHED. The residents gathered at PHED’s office along SARS Road, Port Harcourt, demanding immediate restoration of electricity supply in their area.
“We have experienced a blackout for some months now. Meanwhile, the PHED officials continue to issue us bills for services not particularly provided,” some of the residents said.
Some community leaders also alleged there have been estimated billing and inconsistent charges, claiming that electricity bills were issued when there was no corresponding power supply.
“We have made several efforts, including sending delegations and appeals through traditional leadership, to resolve the issue, but all to no avail,” one community leader volunteered.
For Edith David, a woman leader of Rumuodomanya clan, “We have not been having electricity for a long time now, but since this new year it has been worse. In the past two to three weeks, there has been no light at all, yet bills are still coming. The bills they bring are too high for us to pay. We use postpaid meters, not prepaid, and sometimes they write amounts as high as N30,000 to N40,000 — even in months when there was no supply”.
She said, “when we pay half, they still disconnect us and insist we must pay everything. We are here for a peaceful protest. We need light. If we have electricity and we are consuming it, we will be happy to pay. But they are billing us for what we did not consume. The officials have not addressed us directly. One spoke with our youth president, but it seems the explanation was not accepted, which is why we are still here,” the woman leader said.
In another vein, the state capital has been grappling with mountains of refuse, with little or no efforts to clear them for many weeks.
Port Harcourt faces a significant solid waste management challenge, characterized by large, uncleared or overflowing refuse heaps in residential and commercial areas. The waste stream consists of roughly 37.6 percent biodegradable, 30.7 percent inorganic, and 7.7 percent hazardous materials (sludge and chemicals), with high reliance on open dumps and landfills, according to a report by Science and Education Publishing.
Key aspects of refuse in the state capital composes primarily organic (biodegradable) and inorganic materials (glass, metal), with inconsistent collection by agencies like the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) leading to blocked roads, unpleasant odours, and high environmental and health risks. The environmental impact of these are heavy reliance on open dumps and landfills, which creates opportunities for potential waste-to-energy conversion, particularly with organic waste. There are noticeable management gaps throwing up challenges with timely disposal resulting in accumulated refuse, especially in densely populated areas of the city.
