Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (middle), cutting a tape to inaugurate the permanent site of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield in the Niger Delta, recently. With him are: JTF Commander, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Atewe (left) and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Retired Rear Adm. John Jonah (right).

The Rivers State Commis
sioner for Housing, Barr Emma Okah, has said that there is nothing wrong or immoral for an administration that received and managed about N3 trillion on behalf of the people of Rivers State to explain some of her actions suspected to be fraudulent. The people have the right to know,” he said.
Oka said it was mischievous to accuse the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike of witch-hunting the former Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, through probes.
“The Nyesom Wike administration is merely protecting the people’s interest by inquiring into how public resources were wasted, stolen or misappropriated by the past administration, and every lover of democracy and rule of law should not complain, blackmail the state government or divert attention from that”, the statement added.
Explaining further, Okah said that the simple thing Amaechi needs to do, if invited by any commission of enquiry, is to state his own side of the story, and tender documents to buttress his case. There is nothing to fear, if his hands are clean, he said
The commissioner also said that certain things must be clarified by the Amaechi government, noting that the state cannot close her eyes to some grave allegations of corruption against the Amaechi government.
“Is it proper for Amaechi to sell off 70 per cent of the Rivers State Government interests in the state’s four power stations (Eleme, Omoku, Afam and Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt) at the cost of $302.4million, and the entire money was withdrawn between December 2014 and April 2015 without any document of transaction or payment into any government account. Who owns the Bureau de Change Company that received the money, and who authorised the receipt and where is the money?
“Is it witch-hunt for Amaechi to pay out $39million to his cronies for the purpose of building the Karibi-Whyte Mega Hospital, and till today, not a single block is standing?
“Is it witch-hunt for the former governor to withdraw the sum of N812million in May 2015 for the purpose of furnishing his private house in Asokoro, Abuja, even when workers’ salaries and pensions were in arrears?
“Is it witch-hunt for the sum of N200million to be withdrawn in cash from the various accounts of Ministry of Works on May 28, 2015 for no official purpose?
“Is it witch-hunt for the Amaechi government to sell two aircraft belonging to the state, and till today, there is no word on the sale proceeds or the processes?
“Is it witch-hunting for the sum of N2billion Agricultural loan which Amaechi’s government took from the CBN to be paid out to fake cooperative groups created by his aides as grants? Should Rivers people not know who and who took these monies as the state will repay the money to CBN?
“Is it witch-hunting to seek explanation on the bogus monorail project which has been adjudged to be the biggest fraud conduit in Rivers State under the former government?”, Okah queried.
He challenged Amaechi to explain how he budgeted N2billion for scholarship to Rivers scholars abroad and before his eyes, the consultants who paid the money took out N900million as their fees, leaving only N1.1billion for the stranded students.
Okah stated that Wike is not witch-hunting Amaechi, emphasising that Rivers people expect Amaechi to face these questions with the same bravery that he is known for, adding shouting about witch-hunt was not the solution.