….mocks FG’s narrow gauge railway project
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Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government of shielding the Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi from prosecution for allegedly misappropriating proceeds from the sales of some the state assets.
The governor said it was disingenuous for the Federal Government to commission the rehabilitation of a narrow-gauge railway from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri at a time when the rest of the world was building a standard gauge railway.
Wike spoke during the inauguration of 6.1km long, 7.3m wide Omuihuechi-Omuoko-Omokiri link Road in Aluu Ikwerre Local Government Area on Wednesday.
The governor said it was appalling that the Federal Government had continued to protect Amaechi from prosecution for his alleged inability to account for $308million from the sales of the state-owned power plant and other critical assets when he was the Governor of Rivers State.
Wike noted such protection emboldened the minister to consistently made efforts to undermine the state government by influencing postings of the Commissioner of Police and General Officer Commanding, the Nigerian Army to Rivers State.
He said: “People gave you the opportunity. You sold our properties, everything. And people are talking in this state because of the government that says they are fighting corruption and protecting people. You (Amaechi) sold our property for $308million and kept for us $208,000. That is the kind of people parading themselves in government, for a government that says they are fighting corruption, shame.
The governor urged the people of the State not to be deceived by the antics of the APC government following the narrow gauge rail line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri saying the project was politically motivated.
He said: “I heard people came to Rivers State to flag-off narrow gauge (rail) when the world is talking of standard gauge. What they are giving Rivers state is a narrow gauge because I challenged them; show us what you have done for the people of the State. So, what they will do is to come and say okay, since you are complaining let us come and give you that narrow gauge.
“Instead of giving us the standard gauge to Maiduguri and they are making noise about it. Rivers State, the treasure base of the nation, the State that they used their money to produce their President. Towards the end of their administration is when they come and tell us of the narrow gauge railway.
“You want to finish the narrow gauge in 33 months. Will he be in power then? I am going to finish every project I have awarded, this Government will finish it.”
The governor explained that the proposed University of Transport in Ubima , Rivers State, was deceitful because the Minister of Transportation lacked the capacity to see the project through.
“Since 2015 it is now you want to go to Ubima to build University of Transport”, he said.
Wike said despite Amaechi’s vehement opposition to his political aspiration to govern the state in 2015 and 2019, he had been elected twice as governor.
“They said we will not be governor, we taught them lesson in politics. In 2015, they said over their dead will we be governor, am looking for the dead body. 2019 they said we will not be governor that they are in power. I said you are not in power, God is in power. We defeated them. They are small kids in politics.
“But let me warn the man who thinks he has President , he has soldiers, he has police, you should have learnt your lesson by now, that when God has left you there is nothing you can do again.”
In his remarks, a former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Sir Austin Opara, said at a time when the federal and state governments were struggling with COVID 19, Wike was inaugurating and commissioning projects.
He said: “Federal Government has relied on the disturbances of COVID 19, states are grappling with the inability to pay salaries, you are still commissioning projects, you are breaking grounds, you are commissioning more projects. Indeed, it gives concern, what is the magic.
“When you started, your critics what they were saying was that even what he is doing, he is just working in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor, you immediately started commissioning projects in Eleme, Tai, Gokana, Khana, Akuku-Toru, Ikwerre, Emohua and many other Local Governments, then they kept quite.”
Opara noted that the announcement that Rivers State would be building a Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Centre worth N25bn soon gladdened the heart.
He said in a civilized clime, the Federal Government should have sent a delegation to Rivers State to understudy Wike’s government, to indeed imbibe and learn the secret of his success.
“So, indeed I recommend to the APC led Federal Government to send a high powered delegation to Rivers State to understudy the infrastructural revolution that is taking place in the state”, he said.
Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Elloka Tasie-Amadi, said the Omuihuechi-Omuoko-Omokiri road before the administration of Governor Wike was a nightmare for residents and road users.
He explained that the reconstructed road 6.1km long, 7.3m wide road complete with drains on both sides which measure 12.2km.
He said: “This road is of immense benefit to the 3 communities it is named after, it is also of benefit to residents and people of Choba community, it is of benefit to the students and staff of the University of Port Harcourt, it is of benefit to land and home owners in this area. It is of benefit to real estate development within and around Aluu.”
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