The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rivers State Chapter has urged the National Assembly and the Federal Government of Nigeria not to yield to Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s request for loan for water supply in the State.

The party alleged that the loan would be applied towards funding the activities of the All Progressives Congress, APC, instead of water supply.

Culled from dailypost

“Considering the financial strength of Rivers State as one of the top beneficiaries from the Federation Account as well as the rising Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and the
revelation by the Governor that he is saving one billion naira monthly, the state should not be crying for loans to provide drinking water to a point that Rivers people are threatened by water
borne diseases”, the Party said.

The PDP said it believed that Amaechi had been in office for six years running and if he regarded water as a priority, he would have provided water in the state because he had been receiving enough funds to execute development projects in the state.

The PDP in a statement signed by Jerry Needam, Special Adviser on Media to State Chairman of the Party, Felix Obuah sid it was of the view that Governor Amaechi had borrowed more money than all the past governors of the state put together.

It added that if truly the Rivers State Government had improved in her internal revenue base as claimed, then the Governor had no justification to solicit for loan from external funding agencies for it to deliver development projects to the people of the state.

“The Peoples Democratic Party also raises eye brows over the over N1 trillion loan facility accessed so far by the Amaechi administration from which projects on ground in the state do not show such funds to have been judiciously applied”, noting that if the Governor
had actually been saving N1 billion monthly, “the state ought to, in his six years on the saddle, have a reserve of N72 billion, an amount that would not allow the state choke for loan to enhance
service delivery”.


PDP further noted that “it is also aware that the State Government has in its budget allocated over N7 billion to the Ministry of Water Resources yearly.

“The Party notes that rather than actual
investment and application of the funds in water resources in the state, the Governor is seen to have preferred financing phoney and white elephant projects with questionable contract
values in Rivers State.

“These projects include, the Monorail, Justice Karibi Whyte Specialist Hospital, Greater Port Harcourt City, Rainbow Housing Project, etc.

“The PDP also regrets that the Governor has, rather than provide befitting development facilities and infrastructure for the State, sold out or leased important institutions and state owned ventures and assets for 30 to 50 years,
to some officers and cronies in the name of Public Private Partnership”.

It listed some of the institutions to include Delta Hotels, Obi Wali Cultural Centre, Olympia Hotels, General Hospital, Port Harcourt, Njemanze Waterfront,
Risonpalm.

Jerry Needam described Amaechi’s administration as “the most fraudulent, irresponsible and wasteful” adding that “if granted the loan facility in the name of water supply in the state, Governor Amaechi would further divert the fund into financing the activities of his new political fold, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and his Vice Presidential ambition.

“The Party, therefore, requests the federal government to disregard Governor Amaechi’s bid to obtain billions of naira in the form of loan from the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AFDB) under the false pretence of providing water projects in the state”, Needam noted.

It could be recalled that Governor Amaechi had called on the House of Representatives to summon Finance Minister and Co-ordinating Minister of Economy, Okonjo Iweala as well as Minister of Water Resources, Stella Ochekpe to explain their roles in the stalled loan deal between the World Bank, Africa Development Bank and the Rivers State Government, which had received the approval of the National Assembly.

Brb

I heard the news on 92.3 Radio Info here in Port Harcourt. This goes to show you the type of opposition you have in Rivers State. The Governor ask the minister to award the water project to any company of her choice. Not to give him the money.

They (PDP Rivers) went ahead to criticise the Greater Port Harcourt City Project that is on course calling it an elephant project. Also, Rainbow city sky scrapper estate is also a white elephant project according to them. This bunch of thieves who are heartless.

Oh Lord! Let this set of people not rule Rivers in 2015. Send us another Governor even from an unknown party. The present crops of PDP in Rivers are those criminals that were chased out. They are back in full force with no manifesto.