Former Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has been defended by commissioners who served during his tenure, over the report of the State Judicial Commission of Inquiry that funds were misappropriated during the last administration.
According to the commissioners, the report of the Justice George Oremeji-led commission was a blatant fabrication design to taint Amaechi and all those who worked with him.
At a briefing in Port Harcourt on Sunday, the ex-commissioners said it was illegal for a governor to set up a panel of inquiry based on a preexisting mind-set.
The former commissioners present at the briefing includes: Ibim Semenitari, former Commissioner for Information; Finance, Chamberlain Peterside; Agriculture, Emma Chinda; Power, Austin Wokocha and Transport, George Tolofari, among others.
The commissioners addressed the issues in the commission’s report, in the statement put out during the briefing.
“The decision to construct the Rivers Monorail Project was jointly adopted by the Rivers State Executive Council during Amaechi’s first tenure when the present governor, Chief Wike, was the Chief of Staff to the Governor at the time.
When the decision to construct the monorail was taken, there was no Due Process law in existence in the state. But it should be noted that after the enactment of the Due Process law, the monorail project owner engineers, Arcus Gibb and officials of the Rivers State Ministry of Transport were constantly briefing and keeping the Due process team up to date on all issues as they related to the project. This fact can be backed up with several minutes of meetings between the Due Process team, officials of the Ministry of Transport and Arcus Gibb.”
“It should also be highlighted that after the PPP (Public Private Partnership) partners, TSI Property and Investment Holdings Ltd, pulled out of the project because of its inability to contribute its own 80% equity contribution (Due to the financial crash of 2008).
The former deputy governor, Engr. Tele Ikuru, headed an Executive Council committee to review and recommend if the Rivers State Government should continue with the project. The committee recommended that government should continue with the construction of the monorail project with Arcus Gibb acting as the project consultants.”
“The monorail project is even more significant now given the recent fall in the price of oil and the need for government to create a conducive environment for local business to thrive. There is no better way to help local businesses thrive than putting in place a proper transport infrastructure network.
“By the end of Mr. Amaechi’s tenure, two stations had been completed, Azikiwe and UTC stations. The Depot and Sharks Park stations were already 80% completed. The train has been mounted and tested.
In fact, the first phase of the project (2.6 km stretch) could be said to have been technically completed. It is infantile and the height of irresponsibility to request that N33 billion be returned to the Rivers State Government. It shows a complete lack of understanding of the rudiments of governance and infrastructural developments.”
