Leadership (Abuja)
Golu Timothy
9 October 2008
A militant group operating in the restive Niger Delta region,the Niger Delta Watchdog, wants Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State to account for over N500 billion that has accrued to the state from the federation coffers since 2007 when he took over.
They further argued: "How is it possible for a one kilometre road to be constructed at N4.3 billion and a five-kilometre road at N7.3 billion. We want to know what kind of roads will cost this much?"
The watchdog also doubts the sincerity in the proposed building of 105 cottage hospitals spread across the 23 local government areas (LGAs) in Rivers state. The group hinged its argument on the ground that four cottage hospitals per LGA is a waste when most of the Local Government Areas of the state have standard General Hospitals that needs refurbishing. They want the government to rather refurbish the existing hospitals.
Quoting Alhaji Asari Dokubo, "Contract regime and looting are correlated", the group accused the government of going on contract spree such as the N48 billion (more than $400, 000, 000.00) for the refurbishing of Trans Amadi/Omoku Gas turbine. With N11 billion already paid out.
According to them, the Federal Government anti-graft bodies should investigate all contracts approved in the last one year.
Already, the EFCC is investigating the Chief of Staff to the Rivers State government, Mr. Nyeson Wike and the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Magnus Abe over N100 million money laundering. While invitation has been extended to the commissioner for finance and the accountant- general over the same allegation.
Wike and Abe, according to a report had visited the EFCC as apart of the ongoing investigation into the allegation of money laundering against the state government.
The EFCC wanted Wike to explain how he came about the N100 million lodged in his account in one day.
Though, Wike, in his response was said to have told the investigators that the money was meant for the construction of staff quarters, as at the time of reporting, he was still with the EFCC.
Amaechi, who is away in London, is accused of mis-governance by the militant groups who are seeking his removal from office as the only way of restoring peace in the most volatile state in the country.
"It is imperative for Nigerians and the world to know that right from when Governor Amaechi assumed office in October 2007 till date, he has received over N5 billion from the federation account not including internally generated revenue. Rivers people don't know the projects the money has been used for," the group said.
According to the group: "the Eleme flyover/Roundabout, Eliozu flyover, Trans-Kalabari road and others are not the initiative or brainchild of the present government and so it was surprising to hear that the administration is laying claims to them.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Leadership. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
