[Chief Kalu]

I hope Governor Rotimi Amaechi will not bequeath to the next governor a megacity that is still far from reality considering the intrigues of our politics.
He must have been able to draft a revised masterplan as if Rivers state never had master plans. I am aware that from the times of Diette Spiff, Rivers State had master plan that most people never saw. Most town planning offices never rerferenced existing master Plan as they were never within reach, hence the rapid development of "illegal" structures, some of them with genuine approvals from planning authorities.
When politicians come up with policies, I am always afraid, moreso, Nigerian politicians. They give a handshake to the people expecting an elbow in return. I am not so sure that the whole idea of a mega city is not internal revenue generation. Taxes, double taxes and more taxes. Property development in the state is almost grinding to a halt because developers can not decipher the hand writing of the state leadership, pasted on the wall. No one is sure again of the safe area to build. Moreover, unlike Lagos State, C of O acquisition for a landed property in Rivers State is like a journey to the moon.
There is nothing wrong about dreaming and working out a Mega City, but, any development programme that will not recognise that the City is mostly occupied by villagers with relatively low income and non indigenes struggling to contribute to the development of the city will end up stiffling progress and eventually frustrating sustainable rapid development.