Etche Oil Wells Ceded To Abia- Amaechi

Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi,  says 41 oil wells in Etche Local Government  have been ceded to Abia State while those in Soku have been ceded to Bayelsa State.

The Rivers State governor, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) spoke last Wednesday,   in Port Harcourt as a guest on a phone-in programme, Today, on 95.1 FM Radio and promised to support President Goodluck Jonathan if the oil wells were returned.

Amaechi said: “There is an attempt by the Federal Government to undermine the development of Rivers State. Everybody is talking about Soku oil wells. There are over 41 oil wells belonging to Rivers State, which have been ceded to Abia State. They (the Federal Government) want to impoverish Rivers  State and as a governor, you expect me to keep quiet? It is not just Soku alone; it is also the fact that they have taken the oil wells in Etche.

“I have told the President that if he returns the oil wells, I will support him. But he (President) cannot. It does not matter whether I go back to the PDP or not, I will support him. He has not been able and he will not. If he (President Jonathan) thinks it will favour me, then let him keep the money in an escrow account, because the money was first and foremost in an escrow account”, he added.

The NGF chairman also flayed his former Chief of Staff,   Barrister Nyesom Wike, whom he said he made minister.

Amaechi said: “I will not join issues with Wike. He is my junior in age. I graduated before him in the university. I ensured his re-election as Obio/Akpor Chairman. I made him Chief of Staff and Minister. I am a Governor by God’s grace, he is not. I have character. I do not know if Wike has character.

“I apologised to my friends for joining issues with Wike. I do not want to be dragged to the gutter with Wike. The Obio/Akpor LG matter is not about political vendetta, but they are sharing the council’s funds. I have dissolved the Obio/Akpor LG council. Anybody who pays taxes, levies and other monies to Timothy Nsirim (the sacked chairman) will pay twice. The Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI, which has Wike as the grand patron) is a group of bandits, undermining the security of Rivers State.”

Amaechi also described the monorail in Port Harcourt as a noble project, stressing that in Nigeria, Rivers State was the only state that was using its own funds to construct a monorail, noting that the Lagos light train was being funded by the World Bank, but the Rivers government was using its funds to pursue the monorail project.

The NGF chairman described the monorail as a brand new technology, stressing that there was nowhere in the world that the monorail was more than 16 kilometres, stating that the Port Harcourt’s monorail was nearing completion, with the incoming government to take it to the end of Aba Road.

President, Orugbum Development Council, Dr Cyprian Oparaodu (left), with Secretary, Rebisi Council of Chiefs, Chief Christopher Wonodi (right), during the sendforth ceremony organised by the body at Ogbunabali Civic Centre, Port Harcourt, recently. With them is former Permanent Secretary , Chief Tony Wokekoro. Photo: Obinna Prince Dele