‘RSG Can Account For Monies Received’ …LG Tour Not Political Campaign -Semenitari

Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi says his administration can account for the money it has received from the federal coffers since its inception.
He also said his tour of communities in the state was to appraise the impact of his administration and feel the pulse of the people, stressing that it was not a political campaign as wrongly conceived in some quarters.
Speaking at Mgbuesularu community (Okporo) during his tour of Wards in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, yesterday, Governor Amaechi, who covered six wards in Rumuomasi, Rumuobiakani, Woji, Elelenwo, Rumuokwurusi and Mgbuesularu, challenged Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike and other politicians in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to account for the contracts awarded to them before now.
“They should account for the 14 schools we awarded to them to build, and if really they love Obio/Akpor as they claim, why should they stop the appointment of another Obio/Akpor son as chief of staff?”
He further challenged them to tell the people how they have touched the lives of their people, stressing that there is no community in Rivers State that has not felt the impact of the administration.
The Rivers State chief executive maintained that politicians in the opposition were driven by greed and not service, insisting that he is ready for probe at anytime.
In the words of the governor,” our public schools do not compete with private schools. We beat them…very few schools are like that in Nigeria”.
He explained that government had decided to provide free education to cushion the pains of poor parent who are struggling to make a living considering the level of corruption that had denied the masses from benefitting from their resources.
He said, “Nigerian parents are suffering due to lack of water, power and roads so the responsibility of government to provide those schools.”
Reacting to a speech by Mrs Beatrice Ogunka at Rumuomasi Ward Eight, Amaechi promised to include them in the new power transmission line at Trans Amadi, revealing that state government has released N450 million to improve power in the industrial estate.
At Rumuobiakani Ward Four, Governor Amaechi pleaded on the people to provide land to build two primary schools, while urging the community to prevail on the Anglican Church to cede land to them.
Speaking at Woji Ward Six, he tasked the traditional ruler’s council to meet and select a new Eze Oha Evo as government is ready to recognize such person.
Amaechi while lauding the people of Elelenwo for supporting his administration, Amaechi assured that government will expand and construct their road and build another school for them.
He promised to complete the dualization of Rumuokwurusi-Igwuruta Road before the end of the administration.
Among the demands made by the various wards visited include the recognition of their traditional stools and provision of roads and power.
But at Ward Three Rumuokwurusi, spokesman for the area, Kingsley Ejekwu expressed appreciation to the governor, saying, “Your visit is historical. This is the first time a governor is visiting us since the creation of the state.”
Meanwhile, Governor Amaechi has elevated the stool of Nyeweli Mgbuesulari in Ward Three, Eze Ejike Wali to a second class status.
He said the recognition is in appreciation of Eze Wali’s support to the government, recalling that the traditional ruler has been a political ally since he was speaker of the state House of Assembly.
Similarly, the Rivers State Government has insisted that the tour of Local Government Areas by the state Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, was not a campaign strategy ahead of 2015.
The state’s Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said in a statement yesterday that the tour was for the purpose of accountability and stock taking.
Semenitari was reacting to a statement credited to the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin, warning the governor against campaigning during his tour of the council.
She explained that the town hall meeting or meet-the-people programme was not a strange exercise in the current administration, adding that the state government was worried about the tone of the statement from the state police boss.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to a statement credited to the Commissioner of Police warning the Governor of Rivers State about campaigning during his ward tours. The Rivers State Government is worried about the tone of the statement accredited to CP Tunde Johnson Ogunsakin and concerned about the implication of the same.
“For the purposes of clarification and emphasis, the administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi considers participation a key element of democratic rule and good governance. As a result, it has consistently embarked on stewardship accountability fora and stock taking since Governor Amaechi assumed office in October 2007. Town Hall meetings, meet-the-people tours and engagement with professional groups and other publics is neither novel nor strange with the Amaechi regime.
“The alleged comments of the CP appear curious especially coming on the heels of the overtly politically purported endorsement of Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike for governor by some members of the Rumuepirikom community and the political visit of the wife of the President to Local Government Areas in Rivers State.
“While the purpose of these obvious political gatherings of the PDP is campaign for 2015 CP Ogunsakin appears unable to see or hear any evil. The Rivers State Government is conscious of this but wishes to reassure CP Ogunsakin that it is neither a brigand nor an irresponsible government. Governor Amaechi has clearly stated that the purpose of his ward tours is to find out the impact of his numerous projects on the people at the grassroots and what gaps still exist to enable him cross all T’s and dot all the i’s as his administration finishes its last lap.
“We can state unequivocally that we will not disregard the rules of engagement and that when we are set for campaign, it will be clear not just to the Rivers State police command but to the entire world. We will not hid our glowing light under a bushel; however we would wish to respectfully request CP Ogunsakin to be even handed in his caution and ensure that what is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. Ultimately, the people are his employers and it is first to God, then to Nigeria and its citizens that he must owe his ultimate allegiance,” Semenitari said.

L-R: Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, Chief of Staff, Rivers State Government House, Mr Tony Okocha and former member, House of Representatives, Mr Igo Aguma, during the governor’s tour of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council in Port Harcourt, yesterday