Amaechi Takes Case To House Of Commons

The Executive Gover
nor of Rivers State has lamented how deepening corruption and bad politics is worsening the security and human rights situation in Nigeria. Speaking in the UK at a panel on security and human rights challenges in the Niger Delta on the 28th of November, the Governor described how many of the problems currently bedevilling the nation can be linked to corruption.
He decried the problem of oil theft and how it has impacted negatively on the revenue of the state. According to him “Nigeria is currently losing colossal amounts of revenue to oil theft. As a state governor, I am very concerned because in the last few months, the monthly allocation to Rivers State has dropped from about N20 billion monthly to about N13 billion. One of the reasons given is the problem of oil theft. Today our state has a short of about 7 billion naira monthly which we should have committed to build more schools, more health centres, and complete several road and infrastructural projects that we have embarked upon already. Security of oil installations and protecting our territorial waters, fall into the responsibility of the federal government. However as those who are directly affected by any action or inaction in this regard, we are concerned. The systematic haemorrhage on our economy and the direct impact on the poor citizens can no longer be ignored. The Nigerian government has asked the international community to provide them support to fight oil theft. However I must say that this intention must be demonstrated through political will.
Continuing, he said ,”Two years ago, Rivers State Government got approval to purchase surveillance helicopters to fly around our territorial waters to provide real time monitoring of oil theft. We paid 30 million US dollars for those helicopters ; up till today they have been prevented from coming into Nigeria. What could be their reasons? We are now paying taxes on the equipment and the sellers are worried too. If we must get the support we desire to stop this economic sabotage that is now threatening our economy, we must demonstrate clear political will before all stakeholders. On your part as an international community, you must scale up your partnership, not as bystanders but as stakeholders. Oil does not just develop legs and walk into the international community. I must confess that I do not understand the details but however like in every trade, there must be buyers and sellers to complete the chain and you have a role to break that chain’.
Another panellist at the event Martin Ewence lamented about how Nigerian oil thieves have become the twelfth largest producers of crude oil in Africa and underscored the relationship between improved security and flow of foreign direct investment.
The Executive Governor of Rivers State has lamented how deepening corruption and bad politics is worsening the security and human rights situation in Nigeria. Speaking in the UK at a panel on security and human rights challenges in the Niger Delta on the 28th of November, the Governor described how many of the problems currently bedevilling the nation can be linked to corruption.
He decried the problem of oil theft and how it has impacted negatively on the revenue of the state. According to him “Nigeria is currently losing colossal amounts of revenue to oil theft. As a state governor, I am very concerned because in the last few months, the monthly allocation to Rivers State has dropped from about N20 billion monthly to about N13 billion. One of the reasons given is the problem of oil theft. Today our state has a short of about 7 billion naira monthly which we should have committed to build more schools, more health centres, and complete several road and infrastructural projects that we have embarked upon already. Security of oil installations and protecting our territorial waters, fall into the responsibility of the federal government. However as those who are directly affected by any action or inaction in this regard, we are concerned. The systematic haemorrhage on our economy and the direct impact on the poor citizens can no longer be ignored. The Nigerian government has asked the international community to provide them support to fight oil theft. However I must say that this intention must be demonstrated through political will. – See more at: http://newsdiaryonline.com/corruptionbad-politics-worsening-security-challenges-nigeria-amaechi/#sthash.BtN7AoA7.dpuf
Continuing, he said ,”Two years ago, Rivers State Government got approval to purchase surveillance helicopters to fly around our territorial waters to provide real time monitoring of oil theft. We paid 30 million US dollars for those helicopters ; up till today they have been prevented from coming into Nigeria. What could be their reasons? We are now paying taxes on the equipment and the sellers are worried too. If we must get the support we desire to stop this economic sabotage that is now threatening our economy, we must demonstrate clear political will before all stakeholders. On your part as an international community, you must scale up your partnership, not as bystanders but as stakeholders. Oil does not just develop legs and walk into the international community. I must confess that I do not understand the details but however like in every trade, there must be buyers and sellers to complete the chain and you have a role to break that chain’.
Another panellist at the event Martin Ewence lamented about how Nigerian oil thieves have become the twelfth largest producers of crude oil in Africa and underscored the relationship between improved security and flow of foreign direct investment.

Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State (3rd left) in the House of Commons last Thursday