Minister of Transportation and former Governor of
Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi says his greatest
regret as governor of Rivers State for eight years is
that the people of the state have failed to recognize
his contribution towards the progress of the state.

Amaechi, who spoke at the Annual Lagos Traffic
Radio Lecture Series in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos also
accused the incumbent Governor of Rivers State,
Nyesom Wike, of driving away investors from the
state due to growing insecurity and crime.

“The problem with Nigerians is that they forget so
soon what someone had done for them. And that
was one of my greatest regrets as the Governor of
River State for eight years. I served my people but
they did not recognise my contribution,” he
lamented.

According to Amaechi, there was no way one
would be encouraged to do more for his people if
they did not appreciate what such person had
done in the past.

The former governor, however, accused Wike of
driving away investors from Rivers as he had not
been able to tackle rising wave of insecurity in the
area, which had led to the plunging of the Internally
Generated Revenue, IGR, from N8 billion to N4
billion.

“Do you know that people are now migrating away
from Port Harcourt? When I was the Governor of
Rivers State, nothing like that happened. The crime
rate in the state has now increased and the IGR
dropped. As the governor, the IGR of the state was
at N8 billion. And that was why I have often
advised Nigerian public office holders not to play
with figures.

“I was accused of owing 12 months’ salary but
when I left office, I had paid up to 40 percent of the
workforce. I believe that all public officers must
tell the public the truth always. During my tenure,
when my IGR begins to fall, I invite the
Commissioner of Police and other security
operatives in the state to bring the statistics of
crime in the state.

“Due to the crime rate in the state, people have
started migrating away from the state and the IGR
has dropped to N4 billion. The state governor
(Wike) now moves like chairman of a council,
asking traders and others if they had paid their
taxes. But when I was the governor, I don’t engage
in that,” he said.

According to Amaechi, “Migration is either
voluntary or involuntary. But in the case of Rivers
State, it is involuntary. They are forced to relocate
from the state. The man complained that I am
corrupt but I have asked him to go to court but
until today, he is yet to bring evidence forward to
buttress his claims.”

Amaechi also said that the reason Lagos often
experience gridlock was due to lack of roads in the
state, saying, “How many times do you see traffic
in Abuja? And the reason was that it had nexus of
roads. There is need for the construction of more
connecting bridges across the state.

The minister, in his paper, said as far as mass
transportation was concerned, there is evidence to
show that inadequacy in transport infrastructure
and services had contributed significantly to the
prevalence of poverty across various Nigerian
communities in both urban and rural areas.

He said the problems of Nigerian transport system
had varied across various sub-sectors including
air, water, rail and road transport in particular.

“The challenges confronting transportation in
Nigeria are numerous but its greatest failure is
attributable to poor governance which several
Nigerians have identified, including a former
Minister of Transport, Dr . Abiye Sekibo, who noted
that “transportation occupies a central position in
the socio-economic and political development of
any nation” but “successive Nigerian governments
have left the transport sector comatose as a result
of total neglect”.

He listed excessive government monopoly,
grounded rail system with inefficient, obsolete and
deficient transport policy, under-developed inland
waterways, ports and port services, as well as
corruption, as being major problems of the sector,”
he said.

“In achieving our mission of establishing a safe,
efficient, affordable and seamless intermodal
transport system, we will ensure that we achieve
internationally acceptable standards and deploy the
available resources in the private sector through
public private partnership to build a sustainable
transportation system. This goal is realizable and
the advantage we have is the political will and
incorruptible nature of our Team Leader –President
Muhamadu Buhari. I therefore urge all Nigerians to
give us their support and prayers,” he added.


www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2016/06/10/amaechi-my-greatest-regret-as-rivers-governor/

Professional looter accusing another fellow professionals looter from the same looting party.

Shame!

"Amaechi said: the reason Lagos often
experience gridlock (From the time of Tinubu, Fashola and now) was due to lack of roads in the state, saying, “How many times do you see traffic in Abuja? And the reason was that it had nexus of roads. There is need for the construction of more connecting bridges across the state"

Regret is an understatement.

Na your own cup of Kunu be dat.

This man is just a cry baby. He is still on this Wike matter?? He is definitely still hurting from his colossal defeat in Rivers... as we all say, E PAIN AM!!!

Always copying GEJ .....just because GEJ talked about his regrets.....Amaechi also did the same thing...na wah ohhhh

mr man shut up..

Amaechi enjoyed peace because Peter Odili did not interfere with governance in Rivers State. But is that the case with Amaechi who swore to be a heck in Wike's neck.