The Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Hon. Dr. Gift Worlu, has called for sustained peace in Rivers State, saying the state should be in the news for development, infrastructure and improved welfare of the people rather than conflict and political crisis.
Worlu made the call while speaking at the inauguration of the newly rehabilitated runway at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Port Harcourt, where he commended the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, for what he described as his commitment to peace, security and development across the state.
The Obio/Akpor Council Chairman expressed appreciation to the governor for prioritising security, noting that the rehabilitation of the Air Force runway would strengthen security operations and contribute to the protection of lives and critical infrastructure in Rivers State.
Worlu recalled the period when the airport at Omagwa was not operational, forcing residents and other travellers to rely on alternative means of transportation.
He therefore urged the governor to extend similar developmental interventions to the riverine areas of the state.
Worlu also took a swipe at those he said were encouraging the governor to continue with political confrontation rather than embrace peace.
He said social media commentators often misinterpret the governor’s peace efforts and encourage continued conflict, even while quoting the biblical injunction, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”
The council chairman insisted that Rivers State needs peace to attract development and improve the lives of its people. “Let Rivers State be in the news for development, not war. We are committed to the peace process.”
At Rumuigbo, during the commissioning of the newly upgraded Neuropsychiatric Hospital and the newly constructed General Hospital in Obio/Akpor, Gift Worlu again commended Governor Fubara for prioritising healthcare delivery.
He said the projects would significantly improve access to quality healthcare services for residents of Obio/Akpor and surrounding communities.
Gift Worlu particularly welcomed the upgrade of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, stressing that the modern facility would help address mental health and substance-abuse challenges in the state.
He called on residents to stop stigmatising people who seek mental healthcare, noting that mental health challenges could affect anyone.
According to him, unemployment, depression and other psychological pressures contribute to mental health challenges, making rehabilitation facilities essential in addressing the problems.
Speaking at the event, Governor Siminalayi Fubara explained that the rehabilitation centre had previously become a location where drugs were supplied to inmates undergoing rehabilitation.
The governor said the premises had also become vulnerable to drug trafficking and unauthorised access, prompting his administration to secure the facility by fencing it and restricting access through designated gates.
Fubara said the decision to rebuild and modernise the facility followed an inspection visit, during which he observed the need for a comprehensive upgrade.
He recalled that the Neuropsychiatric Hospital was conceived in 1970 and commissioned in 1977 with a 50-bed capacity.
Following the intervention, the governor said the facility now has a 100-bed standard rehabilitation centre designed to cater to people dealing with mental health and substance-abuse challenges.
The governor also explained that the decision to construct a General Hospital in Obio/Akpor was informed by the need to bridge the healthcare gap in the densely populated local government area.
He noted that residents previously depended largely on Primary Healthcare Centres for basic services, while tertiary healthcare was accessed at facilities such as the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and Braithwaite Memorial Hospital (BMH).
At the Nigerian Air Force Base, Port Harcourt, Governor Fubara described the rehabilitation of the runway as a reflection of the strong collaboration between the Rivers State Government and the Nigerian Air Force in addressing national security challenges.
He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for equipping and repositioning Nigeria’s security institutions.
Fubara described the rehabilitated runway as more than an infrastructure project, saying it demonstrated Rivers State’s support for the Armed Forces.
He said the facility would improve the operational capability and safety of aerial operations while strengthening the rapid-response capacity of the Nigerian Air Force in the South-South region.
The governor noted that the Nigerian Air Force remains one of the institutions upon which Nigeria’s unity and territorial integrity rest, acknowledging the sacrifices of its personnel in protecting critical national assets and promoting peace and stability.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, who performed the ceremonial commissioning of the rehabilitated runway, commended the Rivers State Government for completing the project.
Aneke described the project as an eloquent testimony to the robust partnership between the Nigerian Air Force and the Rivers State Government in the security sector.
He said the facility would enhance the operational capabilities of the Nigerian Air Force, particularly in protecting critical national assets and infrastructure in Rivers State.
According to him, the rehabilitated runway was timely and critical to ongoing air operations, training and disaster-response missions across the South-South region.
The outgoing President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, who performed the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon at the healthcare project, commended the Rivers State Government for investing in healthcare and giving priority to mental health.
Osigwe urged members of the public to desist from stigmatising people seeking mental healthcare, stressing that mental healthcare covers conditions such as stress, depression and personal crises and is not limited to severe psychiatric disorders.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr. Vincent Wachukwu, said the newly commissioned General Hospital is equipped with Accident and Emergency services, consulting rooms, pharmacy, laboratory, X-ray rooms, delivery room, maternity, postnatal and antenatal wards.
He added that the facility also has an operating theatre, surgery recovery room, Central Sterilising Services Department, Intensive Care Unit, Newborn Intensive Care Unit, paediatric wards, male and female general wards with 50 beds each, private wards and administrative offices.
Friday, August 28, 2026
