Amaechi, Rivers Governor Exlodes Over N500BN

Akanimo Sampson, Port Harcourt

Amaechi, Rivers Governor Exlodes Over N500BN

MR. Chibuike Amaechi, governor of one of Nigeria's leading oil producing states, Rivers, does not appear to be happy with recent reports linking his administration with alleged unwholesome financial deals.

Irked, the governor said he has nothing to hide. He therefore, decided to take on his perceived political foes by throwing the account books of the state open for public scrutiny.

Details of his seeming financial accounting went thus=

''My attention has been drawn to a report published by the Niger Delta Citizens and Budget Platform which purported to analyse budgets of states and local governments in the Niger Delta. My initial feeling was to ignore the report as a sponsored work of political opponents and as it is common knowledge that often public officials are needlessly denigrated by the public, especially members of the press. Two factors have however led me to respond. The first is to correct some inaccuracies and outright falsehood contained in the report. The other is that an Internet news site purportedly belonging to a Nigerian in “Diaspora” mischievously relied on the report to feed its local and international audience with falsehood. Sadly, Nigeria is a country where facts are not sacrosanct and data not held in high regard by a majority of researchers and the country at large.

''Reading a recent online report, one is left with the impression of a patriotic, overzealous, naïve and innocent group of researchers. The report however, creates the impression of an intellectually lazy group who could not avail themselves of the opportunity of field visits to project sites. Your report alluded to the fact that the projects the state embarked on are not people oriented. Haba! What can be more people oriented than to embark on a modern health centre at densely populated areas like Bundu waterside and Okija street , which is less than a kilometer from your office? Why did you not investigate the fact that we have rebuilt the dental hospital to a four storey hospital? The dental hospital is just a five minute drive from your office. Your allusion left your audience with the impression that General Administration and Miscellaneous items are wasteful. Proper research would have exposed to you that Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency last year awarded scholarships to three hundred students to study in Britain and Canada . Another group went to Malaysia . The majority of the beneficiaries are indigent students. The Agency also embarked on programmes in the area of poverty alleviation and economic empowerment. All allocation for these programmes came from the allocation to Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency which is a unit of Government that derives its funding from General Administration and Miscellaneous capital items.

''What could benefit the poor more than immunization or the fight against malaria? I am informed that the statistics indicate that more people have died of malaria than HIV/AIDS in Rivers State .. It is common knowledge that an improved medical sector is determined by the reduction in infant and maternal mortality rate.. You can enquire from the Federal Ministry of Health or World Health Organization (WHO) how well the state has improved in its health indices. This is the outcome of the free medical care program and other health initiatives of this government. It is interesting that the Niger Delta Citizens and Budget Platform is located in Port Harcourt and yet seem to have no firsthand knowledge of our projects. If there was no mischief or intellectual laziness on your part, you would have been able to see or report that we are building two hundred and fifty primary schools in the twenty-three local government areas of the State. Orogbum primary school is close to your office. A cursory glance at public reports would also have confirmed to you that we have completed about 60 health centres out of 150. The other 90 health centres are at various stages of completion. All these we did in less than two years. Please compare budget estimates and implementation in the areas of education and health care for 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 and make your conclusions.

''The inaccurate report geared towards smearing the reputation of Niger Delta governors has led to the mischief, insults and outrage published by an online group. One may agree with some of the assertions in your summary but you cannot claim that these are products of any research. It is not news that the crisis in the Niger Delta is predicated on poverty, hunger, unemployment, poor governance, deprivation, corruption and injustice. Even my child at nine [9] knew these and confronted me with it several years ago. The argument that would have made a difference is that the form of capitalism practised in Nigeria is crude and bereft of productive capacities.

''The ruling class accumulates wealth primitively and stashes them in different bank accounts all over the world. Crude capitalist structure breeds the tendency to amass wealth at all cost and by every means available, including blackmail and extortion of public officials like governors who are members of the ruling class.

''The said publication is a reflection of what goes on in Nigeria , especially after we decided not to be ‘generous’ with state funds. We decided to apply state funds strictly for developmental purposes. I don’t, therefore, see how we could apply state funds to the sponsorship of a political party in Ghana . This is not only against the laws of Ghana and Nigeria but have serious diplomatic implications for both countries. Also, I do not know how I can invest state funds in private investments in ‘blue chip’ companies in Ghana .

''The reckless and inaccurate report has also affected my children whose classmates have confronted with these spurious allegations of financial impropriety on my part. I have been forced to explain and defend myself about things that have no basis in fact. No parent, whether governor or not, should be subjected to this.

''I have zero tolerance for crime and corruption and this, in my mind, is known by everybody. However, it seems I have been very unfortunate as my quest for good governance and a corrupt free society has garnered me condemnation in certain quarters, rather than accolades. It began with the attempt by the Obasanjo led administration to stop my ambition to lead Rivers State as the GOVERNOR. They alleged all sorts of financial malfeasance. All the allegations were unsubstantiated. The God I serve and the courts intervened. Again a few months after I assume office my Chief of Staff was accused of financial impropriety. He became a “star” created by the EFCC.

''The report is arrant nonsense! They have no respect for people who have made their mark in the world of transparency like Flt.Lt. J.J. Rawlings. I am sure the publisher would have been in the primary school when Flt.Lt. J.J.Rawlings became President of Ghana. I wish to reiterate that the respected J.J.Rawlings[ Flt. Lt.] has no business dealings with me nor did I fund the Ghanaian election in anyway. However I cherish his friendship and have no regrets.

''My administration has received a total of N450,300, 318, 493.88 (four hundred and fifty billion, three hundred million, three hundred and eighteen thousand, eighty-eight kobo) from November 2007 to May 2009, having assumed office on October 26, 2007. This is at variance with the allegation that I have received and misappropriated N500,000,000, 000 (five hundred billion naira). By the Rivers State Statutory Reserve Fund Law, we are required to save one billion naira every month. The total savings as at May 2009 is N13,000,000, 000 (thirteen billion naira). Nearly one hundred billion naira was saved at First Bank from April 2008 and this was carried forward to 2009 budget. The savings from the Paris Club debt relief is still in state coffers. I am the only Governor who accounts for his income and expenditure on live television. Even our supporters have expressed concern as they believe we have embarked on too many projects.

''I have devoted my entire adult life to the service of the people of Rivers State. My motivation has always been rooted in the belief that our God given talents are there for the service of others. Further motivation comes from knowing that besides the grace of God, the love of my family and friends, ordinary people of Rivers State have always stood by me in my hour of need. I have in turn kept faith with them. I did not abandon them when it would have benefitted me immensely to do so. No matter how many misguided and spurious reports are written about me, I will not abandon the Rivers people. So help me God''.

ENDS

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