Activities at Government House Port Harcourt, con
tinued on a steady note with a mixed bag of events covering political campaigns and governance. The governor had returned to the state on Sunday last week to attend to state matters.
On Monday, Governor Chibuike Amaechi signed the states budget into law. The budget had taken the legislator a month and half to deliberate upon.
Signing the budget into law, Governor Amaechi commended the lawmakers for putting the interest of the state ahead and assured that it would be implemented to the letter.
In the word of the governor, “Nobody can say we have not performed from education to health”, adding that his administration constructed a number of roads.
“The fact is that we are frugal and we did not steal money as against those who are fighting to come in here”, Amaechi said.
The governor while dismissing claims by the opposition that his administration has been reckless in spending, maintained that he had not awarded any contract to himself or to any company owned by him.
Governor Amaechi while warning Rivers people of the antics of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to hijack the treasury of the state, promised the he and his party would scuttle such plans.
On the forthcoming elections, the chairman of the Nigeria’s Governors Forum (NGF) said, “everybody knows and the president knows that Buhari will win the elections. They know that and that is why they postponed the elections and they think that when they postpone the elections, they will win the elections. But the people have made up their minds who and where they will vote”.
Shortly after the signing of the budget, chairman, House Committee on Finance, Hon. Josiah Olu and State Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside, spoke to reporters on their expectations.
Hon. Olu expressed hope that the executive would implement the budget as passed till May 29th. He explained that the N338 billion appropriation will help to complete ongoing projects.
“I am sure that in the next three months, we will spend within the budgetary provisions as provided”, he stated.
On his part, Peterside assured that the government would adhere to budgetary provisions, saying, “wherever we stop by the day of handover is where the next governor will continue”.
According to Dr. Peterside, the most important aspect of the budget is the recurrent expenditure which covers pensions, salaries and overheads. He  also said major part of the budget will be funded with internally generated revenue to the tune of over N90 billion.
On Thursday last week, the governor and the APC presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari attended the South-South-rally of the party held at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt.
At the rally Governor Amaechi announced plans by the party to sustain the Amnesty Programme for Niger Delta militants, if it wins on March 28th. He explained that the plan is to include those left out by the current managers of the scheme.
Amaechi who is also the Director-General of the APC Presidential campaigns further stated that the party would support INEC to conduct transparent polls in the future.
Gen. Buhari in his speech had accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the massive corruption besetting the country and promised to eradicate the menace when voted into power. Buhari tasked the Federal Government to account for the 26 million dollars already spent on power generation.