Amnesty: Gov Calls For More Actions

Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi wants the Federal Government to carry out more actions in the implementation of the amnesty programme in order not to make a mess of the programme.

Governor Amaechi, who spoke when he received the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Onyeabo Azubuike Ihejirika on a courtesy visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, Tuesday said he believes that the solution to whatever must have led to the amnesty programme does not lie in paying the ex-militants.

The governor opined that the solution lies more in enforcement of law and order and provision of social security, noting that “anybody who breaks the law should be held accountable while government should be ready to make the economy grow to a productive level”.

“Where there is production and industrialization people would get employed and when people get employed they would leave crime and focus on the employment”, the governor stressed.

The State Chief Executive, who expressed concern that the ex-militants were always taking to the streets to molest innocent citizens even when they were being paid, averred that if the situation continued and nothing was done, it could lead to breakdown of law and order to a point that would be difficult to manage.

Governor Amaechi recalled how he personally confronted a number of the ex-militants earlier yesterday along the Rumuokwuta road in Port Harcourt and had to stop them from harassing motorists and other innocent citizens for about one hour before the police arrived to take charge of the situation.

He also hinted of report of threats of attack on some companies by some young men, who claim to be in charge of the waters and protecting such companies without being paid and appealed to the military not to ignore cases of internal insurrection in the country even though their constitutional role was to defend the nation against external aggression.

The Governor, however, commended the military for playing a major role in the liberation of Port Harcourt from militancy.

Governor Amaechi assured the Army and other security formations of the continuous support of the people and government of Rivers State to enable them carryout their operations without hitches.