RSG Supports Jonathan To Distribute National Wealth – Amaechi

Being a text of broadcast by Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi on fuel subsidy removal on Tuesday, January 10, 2012.

My dear people of Rivers State, when I made my maiden  broadcast for the year 2012, our country was in the throes of  taking back control of our future and indeed our very lives.

Although there had been announcements of government’s  intention in what may seem to many the vexatious matter of petrol  subsidy removal, the issue at the time, still seemed unclear and  opaque to our citizenry.

As a government that received its mandate, by the grace of God  and with the support of the Rivers people, we appreciate the  immense need to have our people at the centre of governance.

This is why we remain committed to our pledge to ensure that we use our God given resources for the betterment and benefit of our  people.

Let me reassure you that this government is not oblivious to the  challenges you face on a daily basis. It is no longer news that the  global economy has taken a beating since 2009. On the local front,  our people have been forced to grapple with the problems of absence of basic social amenities, poor infrastructure, unemployment,  poverty, food and physical insecurity. Undoubtedly  all our social indicators have been at abysmal levels, and no  responsible government should allow its people suffer these  debilitating conditions without any remedies.

It is for this reason that we in Rivers State aggressively decided to  tackle the social sectors of our economy upon resumption of office.

Our absolutely free education and free healthcare programmesremain the major plank of our administration’s  interventions to guaranteeing good quality of life for our present  and future generations. Our investments in power and human  capital development as well as our commitments to agriculture and  diversification of our economy are all geared towards changing the  face of our state and the lives of our people. Even now we would  not relent in these efforts.

But while we must ensure that our people benefit from government, we also owe them the protection of our commonwealth. As a government, we have been elected to ensure that the resources meant for Rivers people are used for the benefit of Rivers people. We owe you an obligation to guarantee the security of your resources under every circumstance. This is why as a government, we cannot standby and watch while a tiny cabal appropriates your resourcesto feather their already cushioned  nests.

The matter of petroleum subsidy has remained a sore point over  the years. It has also been a major cost centre for government  climbing to ridiculously unacceptable levelsby 2011. The figures  are sufficient to worry us as Nigerian citizens. For instance in  2009, the federal government expended N300 billion on payment  of  petroleum subsidy. That figure climbed to N500 billion in 2010  and suddenly escalated to over one trillion Nairaby October of  2011. Clearly there is a lot of corruption and graft, and a few  persons are frittering the resources of our people away. It is  thereforeimportant that we support Mr. President in his determination to redistribute our national wealth equitably. Already  the federal government has made a commitment to ensuring that  the gains of the removal are spread across the tiers of government  and to all sectors of the economy.

On our own part, in keeping with our determination to ensure that  our people endure as little hardship as possible, government has  held several meetings with relevant stakeholders all geared towards cushioning the effects of the subsidy removal. Already a meeting with independent marketers and the Petroleum Products Marketing Company, PPMC, has yielded the positive fruits of a  reduction in pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to N137  per litre. To guarantee this, the Rivers State government will pay  for all petroleum products allocated to Rivers State marketers and  will give out these products to distributors at minimal cost to ensure product  availability and regular supply.

Government will also guarantee escort of these tankers to the  stations and monitor them to ensure that there is no diversion of  products outside the state. Already, the state government has  directed all independent marketers in the state to immediately  register with the PPMC.

Government has also set up a committee comprising the Chairman  and Secretary of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of  Nigeria, IPMAN, as well as one representative of the marketers from all the local government areas to monitor the implementation  of this decision. The last date of submission of names to PPMC  would be Monday, January 16, 2012. We are immensely grateful  to these marketers who even though they are businessmen are  leading in the patriotic determination to ensure better living  conditions for our people.

Government also met with the National Union of Road Transport  Workers (NURTW), and has extracted a commitment from the union to make its own sacrifice towards the common good. Starting immediately the bus fares in Rivers State shall be as follows:

• Mile 3 – Education – N50

• Education- Lagos Bus stop – N50

• Lagos Bus Stop – Borokiri – N50

• Aggrey – Garrison – N50

• Aggrey – Slaughter – N50

• Park – Rumuola – N70

• Rumuola – Oil Mill- N70

• Mile 3 – Rumuokwuta – N70

•Rumuokwuta – Rumuokoro – N70

• Rumuokoro – Choba – N 100

• Park – Garrison – N50

• Garrison – Slaughter – N50

In addition to these fare reductions, the state government is liaising  with the Federal government to purchase mass transit buses to be  managed by NURTW.

We are certain that these measures will truly assist in  guaranteeing our people lower costs even as we maintain our  welfarist disposition to managing our economy.

In keeping with this disposition as well, we have directed the Ministry of commerce to immediately commence the establishment  of seven discount markets across the state. These would be distributed evenly with two markets per senatorial district and one additional market in Port Harcourt. These discount markets will  guarantee direct purchase from manufacturers. The state  government will guarantee that the products are transported at  minimal costs to the markets to ensure greater and cheaper  access to our people.

Let me appeal to our labour unions and civil society groups to  support our unflinching commitment to our people’s welfare and  well being, by reviewing their decision to cripple the economy of  the state, as this would only cause untold hardship for the poorest  of our people. With a largely informal sector dominated by  substence farming, fishing and trading, it would amount to  punishing the downtrodden to deny them access to a daily  economy. As a government, we will continue to dialogue with  labour as we appeal to their leaders to consider our proactive  engagements and support of our local economy.

Already, our 2012 budget is evidence of this commitment, as we  continued in our quest to reduce government overheads and  increase spending on capital. This year, our recurrent expenditure  is 22.97 percent lower than it was in 2011. Despite this reduction , we will continue to robustly support our free education and healthcare projects. Let me sound a note of warning to all those  who may attempt to sabotage government’s desire to alleviate the  pain of our people. This government will not tolerate any attempts  by any person or group of persons to extort money from our  people under any guise whatsoever. We would also encourage our  people to help government by reporting any persons found asking  them to pay for these free services.

While I continue to appeal most graciously for your support, let me  assure every resident and citizen of our state and especially our  brothers from the North that live and do business in Rivers State,  that the Rivers state government will protect the lives and  properties of all those who live in the state. We also would bring  the law to bear on miscreants who are threatening moslems and  Northerners in the state.

We urge our brothers and colleagues in the other states of the  federation to also do the same in order to ensure that unpatriotic  elements are not given a chance to jeopardise our nationhood and  our hard won democracy. Let me also reassure our people that this  year will indeed be a prosperous one for us regardless of these  initial rumbles. As a people, our resilience will bear us up even as  government’s faithful implementation of its positive economic  policies will put huge smiles back on our faces.

While trusting in your understanding and kind support that has  been the bulwark of our administration, may I once again wish us  all a very happy and prosperous new year and indeed all of God’s  blessings.

I thank you for listening.