Rivers State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Amairigha Edward Hart, has vowed to restore Port Harcourt to its Garden City status.
He also indicated his determination to champion a new culture of asset protection amongst the citizenry, and go against wilful saboteurs of physical development in the State.
A statement by his Press Secretary, Boma Waribor, PhD, disclosed that Hart made this vow on Monday, March 30, 2026, during an assessment tour around Port Harcourt, the State capital.
During the tour, the Urban Development Commissioner frowned at the indiscriminate street trading, display of goods beyond property boundaries, and illegal conversion of public spaces to business premises in the state capital.
Speaking after the assessment tour, Commissioner Hart stated that the under-bridge axis of Garrison junction will be redesigned with adequate considerations to serve as car parks, drop-off, and pick-up points for commercial vehicles, as a way of mitigating roadside vehicular activities, loitering, and criminality.
“We will utilise the vast space beneath the flyover to serve as a pick-up and drop-off zone for commercial vehicles, and the current roadside operations will be replaced with recreational greenery and concrete seats,” he said.
The Commissioner also made similar observations during his stopover at Rumuola, and Artillery Flyovers, First Bank Junction, and the entire stretch of Aba road, Eliozu, Obiri Ikwerre Flyover, Airport roundabout, and Choba junction.
He pledged to replicate the Garrison recommendations beneath the Aba road Flyovers, barricade the medians, and get flowers planted in them, carve out new bus stops, and renovate the existing ones around Port Harcourt.
“What we have seen around Garrison, Rumuola, First Bank junction, the entire stretch of Artillery up to Rumuibekwe, Eliozu Road, Obiri Ikwerre Flyover, Airport roundabout, and Choba Junction is an eyesore, to say the least,” he lamented.
“People are obstructing walkways and streets, especially Sangana area and Creek Road for their private enterprise, encroaching beyond the high-tension poles, displaying goods on the medians, leveraging random roadside spots for bus stops, erecting and inhabiting shanties, as we saw around Obiri Ikwerre Flyover, which is now a suspected criminal den.”
“In fact, we were shocked to find that the entire right flank by the roundabout, on exiting the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa has been converted to a motor park with huge nauseating sights”
As a way of remedying the situation, he said, “We will establish new bus stops, renovate the existing ones, barricade the medians with good rails, and plant flowers in them. Public spaces, in general, require beautification and proper management; hence, we’ll do a holistic job to upscale the physical ambiance of the state.”
On the way forward, the Honourable Commissioner noted that notices will be issued to defaulting traders, artisans, and illegal space occupants, which will be followed by eviction and compliance enforcement, adding that, where possible, alternative sites will be provided for traders.
He highlighted his readiness to collaborate with the University of Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Council to nip the Choba riotous trading and chaotic commercial vehicular activities in the bud.
He urged residents to imbibe the culture of doing the right thing in the line of their respective endeavours, respect public asset and spaces, while assuring that the Garden City restoration exercise would be implemented with a human face, as exemplified by the Governor of Rivers State, Amaopusenibo Sir Siminialayi Fubara, GSSRS.
On the tour with the Commissioner were the Permanent Secretary, Soibitein Harry, Directors, Compliance Enforcement Officers of the Ministry, and other staffers.