Skip to main content

Rivers Governmnet, PDP Disagree Over $280 million Looan





The Rivers State Government and the Peoples Democratic Party in the state are currently at loggerheads over the request by the state Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, for a $280m loan for water and sanitation projects.
While the state PDP said that the latest request for loan by the state government was unnecessary due to the resources accruing to the state through the federal allocation and internally generated revenue, the government said it was not true that the funds were to be used for 2015 elections.
The state House of Assembly had on Monday endorsed Amaechi’s request for loan for water supply and sanitation projects.
But the state PDP, in a statement, signed by the Special Adviser to its Chairman, Mr. Jerry Needam, said the request for loan was aimed at punishing the governor’s successor in 2015.
The party called on members of the House of Assembly, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the African Development Bank and the World Bank not to honour the loan requests in order to avoid being held responsible as one of the institutions causing confusion in the state.
The PDP stated, “Whether the loans have short or long term repayment conditions, it is immaterial at this point. For any society that lives on loans has no future and can never develop its own potential.
“It is unfortunate this is all Amaechi can wish a highly prosperous state like Rivers, the natural seat of oil and gas, a natural resource that has made heaven of the nations that have it.”
However, a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, described the position of the state PDP as misleading and mischievous. She added that the governor was running a transparent and accountable government.
Semenitari recalled that the Rivers State Government had applied for and secured a loan package from the ADB and the World Bank in 2012, for a World Bank-assisted water scheme in the state.
“The rule is that the national government would need to endorse the release of the loan, after the Rivers State House of Assembly would have approved it.
“Everything else was done, but for reasons unknown to the Rivers State Government, the responsible officers at the Federal Ministry of Finance failed to sign for the release of funds, therefore denying the people of the state access to good water.
“Not willing to give up, the Rivers State Government continued to push and the scheme with the loan was again approved in the 2014 budget. Now, the Federal Government has finally signed off for this fund to be drawn down for work to start.
“But due process required that the Rivers State House of Assembly endorsed it once more. This is what necessitated the re-presentation of the old loan to the House.
“However, true to type, Obuah’s PDP, uncaring of the truth and in what has become its masterful display of ignorance and blind mischief, has announced that the Rivers State Government is taking a fresh loan and that this is for the 2015 elections,” she added.
Semenitari accused the PDP of leading the nation’s economy on a downwards trend through its lack of prudence and irresponsible stewardship of national resources.
“Nigerians are still waiting for the report of the probe into the $48.9bn NNPC funds. In the meantime, delegates at the National Conference have alleged another missing N730bn from the Nigeria Ports Authority.
“Rather than address these issues, the PDP is sending Nigerians off on a wild goose chase. But while the PDP can deceive some of the people, some of the time, it cannot deceive all the people, all the time,” she said.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“Stop Harassing Atiku’s Business Interests”- CC Okirie

A Port Harcourt based businessman and politician Chief Chukwuma C. Okirie has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria not to use or allow any of its agencies, parastatals or departments to be used in intimidating or harassing any business interest (s) of former vice President Alhaji Abubakar Atiku. Chief CC Okirie who is also the National Coordinator of  Project AA a socio political group with wide follower-ship across the country said the former vice president of the country has sacrificed so much for democracy in the country and should not be subjected to any form of harassment due to his political ideology or aspiration. Chief Okirie who briefed newsmen during the meet the media chat with newsmen on the activities of his group PROJECT AA said it was high time Nigerians are allowed to speak their minds or aspire for any position of their choice without being witch hunted by authourities.  He lamented that some people who believe they have some people in particular...
Post a Comment
Read more

Support For GEJ: C C Okirie Commends PDP In Rivers State

A frontline politician in Rivers State Chief Chukwuma Chinwa Oikrie has commended the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers state under the leadership of Bro. Felix Obuah (Go Round) for the support the party has given to President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid. Chief Okirie made this known at Omoku Town the headquarters of Ogba/ Egbema / Ndoni local government area over the weekend when the Party opened the Campaign Office of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the LGA. While thanking the state Chairman for his support, Chief Okirie stated that with the support the President has received from the party in the state, there was even no need for him to come and campaign personally.   “With the tremendous support the people of the state have accorded the President, I think he should go and rest. It is even immaterial if he comes to campaign personally because the people of the state are behind him. We will give him the traditional 100% votes we have alway...
Post a Comment
Read more

DEFECTIONS: Why Saraki, Dogara Others Must Heed Sen. Ibrahim's Call by Comrade Nwokoma Ndubuisi M.

The gale of defections in the National Assembly last week was followed by an advice from no one else than Sen. Abu Ibrahim that the Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara and others in the fold of the All Progressives Congress APC that are still masquerading in the party should resign their membership of the party. This call which also implies that they resign their positions as leaders of the various arms of the National Assembly is yet to be complied with by those concerned as at the time of writing this piece Whatever their reasons for still staying put in the party may be, the fact of the matter is that their continued stay in the party has become a sore which must be extricated from the body.  As I watched through the proceedings of the defections on national television, I wept for the country for producing such leaders that lack morality despite all the party has given them politically which they ordin...
Post a Comment
Read more