That the next Governor of my state has his work cut out for him is an understatement, given the place of Rivers State in the scheme of things in the Nigerian polity. It is at the heart of the oil and gas hub of the country. It is the most populous state in the South-South region and contributes a significant chunk of the nation’s GDP.

Aside its economic standing, Rivers State is multi-ethnic and boats of a celebrated diversity in different hues. From Abua in Abua/Odual LGA to Oyorokoto in Andoni LGA, the State is bustling with diverse mineral resources, verdant vegetation, exotic languages and cultural beauty, not to mention the conviviality, hospitality and affability you find in her people that spices up all of these.

Unfortunately, amidst all of these positives, Rivers State is reeling under the sorry burden of underdevelopment, lack of progress and lacuna in leadership. But we’re not here to revel in sorrow. Rather, we’d chart the way forward and I want to keep it very simple and straight to the point as to what the next Governor of my dear Rivers State should prioritize once he is inaugurated on May 29, 2023.

First, he will need to clear up the arrears of the civil servants who have been promoted to different job grade levels without the corresponding payments accruable to such grades. This is imperative and laced with a lot of urgency as it would serve to motivate and incentivize service delivery among workers in the various public service sectors in the State.

Second, he will need to work to resuscitate the state-owned moribund and/or abandoned government-owned parastatals and incentivize the business environment for business both indigenously and foreign owned businesses to resuscitate and thrive with a view to help provide employment opportunities for the teeming population of unemployed youths of the state.

Third, the new Chief Executive will need to set his sights on human capital development. Rivers State was doing fairly well in this area years back, but somehow, acrimonious politics messed it all up. Rivers youths need to accrue modern and globally acceptable skills sets in critical areas to compete with the rest of the world. The State can partner with the Bonny Vocational Centre (BVC), National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), etc. to drive skills acquisition for our young population. Some others need retooling. Our youths need more skills and decent career jobs than appointments as political “otimkpus”.

Also, Tourism is one area the incoming Governor will need to pay serious attention to. I hear that my senior at Okrika Grammar School (OGS), Yibo Koko, whom the outgoing Governor has saddled with the onerous task of developing a template and paradigm shift in the sector as the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of Rivers State Tourism Development Agency (RSTDA), is doing a good job in that area. I believe a lot more can be done. The potentials are simply enormous. Ours is a River of many possibilities.

Victor Abibo Jr, a lecturer, public affairs commentator and writer, writes from Bonny Island.