The Rivers State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, says the continued flagrant abuse of government offices and positions by government officials and political office holders in the state is an indication that the Peoples Democratic Part, PDP, ruling the State government has lost control and should surrender before the entire state is grounded.
Citing the mounting disgusting allegations of fleecing and subjecting intending land developers to all manner of payments by the officials of the state Ministry of Urban Development as one sign of government failure, the ACN in a statement issued and signed by its publicity secretary, Jerry Needam accused the Amaechi administration of institutionizing corruption.
Jerry Needam regrets that the administration of Amaechi has kept wooing investors with juicy promises of security and a conducive environment on one hand, and on the other hand, driving them away through difficult conditionalities for land development outside the official requirements.
The ACN spokesman pinpointed some of these unofficial requirements being perpetrated by the staff of the Urban Development ministry under the watch of the commissioner in charge, Mr. Tammy Danagogo to include N50,000 just for the commissioner to visit the site, N500,000 for a storey building and more if it is two storey building and above for unspecified purpose, N30,000 for re-evaluation of building plans etc, all different from the charges payable at the council level.
More worrisome, the ACN noted is the “I don’t care” attitude of the relevant authorities in the various departments of the Urban Development Ministry who consistently receive these complaints from frustrated intending developers which suggests the criminal acts have official endorsement.
“We therefore charge the Rivers State House of Assembly and Gov. Chibuike Amaechi to rise up to this challenge by ordering a full scale investigation into the massive fraud with a view to bringing the culprits to book. The commissioner for Urban Development, Mr Tammy Danagogo should also be made to explain why his ministry should be running a counter programme to that of State policy on investment and development of the State that has continued to underdevelop and give the State a bad name”, the ACN concluded.
