Amaechi Impoverished Rivers, SSG Insists

The Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Chief Kenneth Kobani has restated the position of the Governor Nyesom Wike-led administration that the former State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi left an empty treasury and forced the once buoyant state bankrupt before May 29, 2015.
Kobani stated this while fielding questions from newsmen on a number of issues of importance to the state in Port Harcourt, at the weekend.
The SSG said that the intention of the former governor was to make it difficult for Wike to govern the state, but eulogised the governor for thinking out of the box, and swiftly rescuing the state from the doldrums and maladministration of the All Progressives Congress-led government.
He said Wike has done well to revive Rivers State after the immediate past administration of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi left the state bankrupt.
According to Kobani, the Rivers State Government has worked hard towards resolving the financial obligations left unattended to by the past All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of  Amaechi.
Kobani said: “The indebtedness of the immediate past APC administration in Rivers State is what this administration is still grappling with.
“The state government is working hard to get the state’s economy on a sound footing.
“The immediate past APC administration in Rivers State left extremely huge debts in terms of salaries and pensions, bank loans for parastatals and agencies. They also left huge bank debts for the local government areas,” Kobani explained.
“We are still clearing the mess of the Rivers State APC while they were in government. Our efforts have led to a more stable economy in the state.
“The Wike administration is working for the people of the state,” he added.
Commenting on the outstanding salary of local government employees, Kobani said: “With the constitution  of  the  caretaker  committees and  the  hosting  of the joint  account  committee meeting,  the local government  councils will now pay staff following the approval issued  by the committee.
“The days of impunity are over under Wike, and all payments now follow due process and approvals,” Kobani stressed.
Addressing allegations that the state government was discriminating against non-indigenes, Kobani said the administration was fair to all in the state.
He said: “It was the same allegation that the APC made before they were defeated during the 2015 elections. The people did not buy their false claims.
“This government is for all residents of the state. It will never discriminate against any group, whether indigene or non-indigene”, Kobani assured.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana