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| Nyesom Wike and Rotimi Amaechi |
Former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi has said that contrary to what the present governor Nyesom Wike is saying, he left the state in a good situation.
The All Progressive Congress elder statesman in a statement yesterday said that his governance brought transparent and accountable stewardship to Rivers people.
In the statement issued by Ibim Semenitari, the former Commissioner for Information in the state, Amaechi said that he inherited a state that was comatose and in dire need of infrastructure.
He said: “Years of militancy and criminality had forced government and business in Rivers State to a standstill. He therefore embarked on land reclamation in our riverine communities and the massive construction of roads, bridges and interchanges all over Rivers State.
“Realizing that there is a direct link between state of infrastructure and the growth rate of any economy, it is to the credit of the Amaechi administration that by the time he was leaving office, he had completed 90 per cent of the Phase 1A of the Rivers State Monorail, completed two major interchanges, two flyovers, 25 bridges, and five shore protection projects. He also completed 890 kilometres of the on-going 1,424 kilometres of road projects across the state.
“There are over six land reclamation/shore protection projects at Andoni, Opobo, Buguma, Abalama, Olumbie/Owukiri Island, and Oba-Ama-Okrika with over 1,140,000km completed.”
He said: “Years of militancy and criminality had forced government and business in Rivers State to a standstill. He therefore embarked on land reclamation in our riverine communities and the massive construction of roads, bridges and interchanges all over Rivers State.
“Realizing that there is a direct link between state of infrastructure and the growth rate of any economy, it is to the credit of the Amaechi administration that by the time he was leaving office, he had completed 90 per cent of the Phase 1A of the Rivers State Monorail, completed two major interchanges, two flyovers, 25 bridges, and five shore protection projects. He also completed 890 kilometres of the on-going 1,424 kilometres of road projects across the state.
“There are over six land reclamation/shore protection projects at Andoni, Opobo, Buguma, Abalama, Olumbie/Owukiri Island, and Oba-Ama-Okrika with over 1,140,000km completed.”
Amaechi revealed that most of the completed roads which he administered were federal roads for which the state government was owed N108 billion.
“Mr. Wike as Minister of State for Education was among those who prevented former President Goodluck Jonathan from paying the Rivers State Government back these funds,” said Mr. Amaechi.
“It is on record that other states like Akwa Ibom and Abia received repayment for the federal roads they constructed. As at when Governor Amaechi was leaving office, the debts owed the contractors in the Ministry of Works, which were for ongoing road projects totaled N44, 942, 354, 44.10.”
“Mr. Wike as Minister of State for Education was among those who prevented former President Goodluck Jonathan from paying the Rivers State Government back these funds,” said Mr. Amaechi.
“It is on record that other states like Akwa Ibom and Abia received repayment for the federal roads they constructed. As at when Governor Amaechi was leaving office, the debts owed the contractors in the Ministry of Works, which were for ongoing road projects totaled N44, 942, 354, 44.10.”
Governor Wike had last week launched a panel to investigate the administration of Mr. Amaechi, Wike had accused Amaechi of stealing state funds and not handing over notes on the expiration of his tenure.
Amaechi however insisted that he left the state for the better, saying: “For the records, the Government of Rivers State under Dr. Peter Odili made substantial investment in Electric Power related Projects with the aim of mitigating the malaise of inadequate power supply”.
“The Projects included generation (Omoku and Trans-Amadi 1), transmission and distribution interventions. Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi on assumption of office recognized the importance of improved electric power supply in the socio-economy regeneration of the State.
“At the time Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi assumed office, of the 350 Megawatts (MW) total capacity generation assets invested by the State, only 70MW (equivalent to about 20 per cent) was available. With enthusiasm, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi ramped up the efficiency to 77 per cent availability including injecting another 360MW Green Field Generation Project at Afam, of which 180MW have been commissioned and is in commercial operation.
“To mitigate the swing in efficiency and its debilitating impact on the economy, the State Government sought private sector operators and sold 70 per cent equity stake in the power generating assets’ company to NG Power HPS. For the transaction, the State Government adopted the same model as the Federal Government in the sale Egbin Power Plant. The sale was at a price per MW higher than all the privatization MW rate done by the Federal Government.
“The Projects included generation (Omoku and Trans-Amadi 1), transmission and distribution interventions. Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi on assumption of office recognized the importance of improved electric power supply in the socio-economy regeneration of the State.
“At the time Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi assumed office, of the 350 Megawatts (MW) total capacity generation assets invested by the State, only 70MW (equivalent to about 20 per cent) was available. With enthusiasm, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi ramped up the efficiency to 77 per cent availability including injecting another 360MW Green Field Generation Project at Afam, of which 180MW have been commissioned and is in commercial operation.
“To mitigate the swing in efficiency and its debilitating impact on the economy, the State Government sought private sector operators and sold 70 per cent equity stake in the power generating assets’ company to NG Power HPS. For the transaction, the State Government adopted the same model as the Federal Government in the sale Egbin Power Plant. The sale was at a price per MW higher than all the privatization MW rate done by the Federal Government.
“The proceeds from sale of the equity in the power generating assets’ company was captured as income in the 2014 Appropriation Law and deployed into funding capital projects as appropriated.”
Amaechi noted that in his state March salaries had been paid and April salaries had commenced by the time his administration was winding down.
As for the money claimed to be owed by Amaechi to state-owned football clubs, Amaechi said that he had given instructions to Zenith bank, as at May 27, for the payment of N488 million out of the N1.6 billion owed the contractors.
Mr. Amaechi then accused Wike of ordering Zenith Bank to ignore his order.
Mr. Amaechi then accused Wike of ordering Zenith Bank to ignore his order.
He said: “The three clubs: Sharks, Dolphins and Rivers Angels were in arrears of 7 months by the time governor Amaechi left government” .
“Before leaving office Amaechi approved the payment of 7 months arrears to the team but this was held back along with approved payments that the banks did not pay. Until revenue receipts began to thin down from the federation account, the Rivers state government was paying N50million every month as welfare package for the teams.”
“Before leaving office Amaechi approved the payment of 7 months arrears to the team but this was held back along with approved payments that the banks did not pay. Until revenue receipts began to thin down from the federation account, the Rivers state government was paying N50million every month as welfare package for the teams.”
Amaechi then talked about inheriting pension arrears of over N4.5 billion saying he left office owing only three months of pension arrears to the main stream and two months of parastatal pensions.
He then disputed the claims by the current administration of not submitting handover notes to his successor’s administration.
“There is no truth in this as all commissioners and heads of MDA’s submitted their handover notes to the Secretary to State Government who forwarded same to the Head of the State Civil Service as is appropriate,” he said.
“Governor Amaechi also directed the Deputy Governor of Rivers State Engr. Tele Ikuru to be the liaison between the outgoing administration and the incoming one. Engr. Ikuru as Deputy Chairman of the state Executive Governor and second man in government had all facts necessary to brief the incoming administration. He also had unfettered access to government house and to every commissioner and head of Ministry Department or Agency.”
“There is no truth in this as all commissioners and heads of MDA’s submitted their handover notes to the Secretary to State Government who forwarded same to the Head of the State Civil Service as is appropriate,” he said.
“Governor Amaechi also directed the Deputy Governor of Rivers State Engr. Tele Ikuru to be the liaison between the outgoing administration and the incoming one. Engr. Ikuru as Deputy Chairman of the state Executive Governor and second man in government had all facts necessary to brief the incoming administration. He also had unfettered access to government house and to every commissioner and head of Ministry Department or Agency.”
Amaechi and Wike had been at crossroads for the past two years due to Wike being a staunch supporter of the former president, Goodluck Jonathan and Amaechi joining camp with present president Muhammadu Buhari.
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