Culled from: http://allafrica.com/stories/201508281151.html

By Ernest Chinwo
Port Harcourt — Officials of the Rivers State Ministry of Transport on Thursday told the Judicial Commission of Inquiry investigating the sale of valued assets of the state and other matters by former Governor Chibuike Amaechi's administration that the former governor had to dissolve his cabinet for him to have his way in awarding the contract for the monorail project to TSI.

The officials also said the 2.6 kilometre down-graded Phase 1A of the project has so far gulped N33.9 billion as against the original design of the Phase 1 which spans over 12kilometres and expected to cost N50 billion.

The Director of Safety and Aviation at the state Ministry of Transport, Mr. Saya Antioch, told the Justice George Omereji-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Thursday that the former governor sacked all his commissioners because majority of them insisted on an American company, Urbanord, for the construction of the monorail, while Amaechi insisted on TSI, a company managed by a former military administrator of the state, Colonel Anthony Ukpo (rtd).

He said the session of the State Executive Council meeting lasted three days. According to the director, who was being cross-examined by counsel to the commission, Zaccheus Adangor, "Two companies were initially involved in the race to partner with the state government on the monorail project. TSI represented by Brig-Gen. Ukpo and Urbanord, an American firm.

"The American company made a very impressive presentation. They told the state government that they will build the monorail project at the cost of N25bn and hand it over to the Rivers State government to operate it as its property." He said he was at the executive council meetings in a technical capacity and that Urbanord's presentation was backed by a guarantee that if it failed to deliver the project in two years, it would effect a refund to the state government.

He also said the American company placed a bid of N25 billion, 50 per cent less than the N50 billion bid that the former governor foisted on the reconstituted State Executive Council with the acceptance of TSI, under a public private partnership.

Speaking further, the director informed that the former governor acted against the advice of the manufacturers of the monorail who noted that elevated platforms were out-dated. He said that the governor said he preferred elevated platforms with pillars rather than the suggested underground monorail because he wanted people to physically see the project.

Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Transport, Stella Ebere-Wigwe, also said the public private partnership arrangement reached between the Amaechi administration and TSI indicated that the state government was to contribute 20 per cent while TSI was to pay 80 percent of the project cost.

Ebere-Wigwe said Amaechi ensured that the state government paid N11 billion slightly above the 20 percent agreed in the memorandum of understanding to TSI, while the benefitting company made no payments whatsoever.

She said despite the payment of the N11 billion without the participation of the state Ministry of Transport, the arrangement with TSI failed woefully and the state lost her investment.

She added that the state government went ahead to appoint Archus Gibb, a South African company without experience in monorail construction, the project consultant for the Rivers State Monorail project.

According o her, the Ministry of Transport was used as a mere conduit in the payment of N22.9 billion to the South African firm, while the company was to receive N660 million for its services and N36.3 million monthly as engineering services.

She submitted that considering that N50 billion was budgeted for the entire Phase 1, expending N33.9 billion for Phase 1A, which is less than 30 percent of the original budgeted design is unjustifiable.

She further informed that six trains and two switches were allocated for the Phase 1A, but on ground in the state is just one train with no switch as the Amaechi administration constructed only one track. She said the other five trains are in Europe.

Chairman of the commission, Justice George Omereji, during yesterday's sitting, encouraged members of the public who came to witness the sitting of the commission to contribute, saying that the commission was on a fact finding mission.

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry adjourned to today as the former Accountant General of the state, Mr. Ngozi Abu, through his counsel informed that he was not around to testify. The former Accountant General will appear today.

Amaechi must be an arsenal fan because he's a GUNNER.

Justice is the same anywhere. Be it in Rivers,Lagos or Akwa ibom state. Amechi must face justice.

Source?

Okworigeorge:
Source?

I doubt you read the article. Take time to really read it.

Thief Amechi!

Please do well to publish your facts online so we can verify.