Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State has broken the silence on the reasons for withholding monthly allocations of three local government areas in the state, namely Obio/Akpor, Eleme and Ikwerre, stressing that until the mechanic workshops and other illegal businesses along major streets in the affected local government areas are cleared, the council chairmen should forget their allocations.
The governor was reacting to questions from journalists on the reason why some councils’ allocations have been stopped for months, as part of his periodic media briefing, Monday in Port Harcourt.
Amaechi who was visibly angry at the situation, challenged the affected chairmen to defend their titles as the chief executive officers of their councils by taking proper charge of affairs of their areas.
He warned that until the streets are rid of those illegal activities, the allocations will not be released.
The governor also lamented the ceding of about 46 oil wells to Abia State belonging to Rivers State and now Bayelsa State is trying to take over more oil wells from them. According to him, only God knows “his sins” to warrant such treatment. He however vowed to oppose the attempt to any level.
Commenting on the outcome of the recent meeting with the presidency on the oil wells matter, Amaechi said President Goodluck Jonathan advised him and his Bayelsa State counterpart to avoid media wars, as he was making frantic moves to settle the problem between the two sister states.
Reacting to a question on the menace of touts in Rivers State, the Governor said a bill has been sent to the state House of Assembly on the matter, assuring that once the bill is passed into law, touting of any kind will be outlawed and anybody caught collecting revenue along the street in rivers State will go to prison. The Governor also cautioned that tax invaders will not be spared in the process.
Amaechi assured the people that all the roads in the state that are in bad shape will be attended to after the rains. He specifically mentioned Okporo, Woji, Elelenwo, Rumuolumeni and Eliparanwo roads, as being paramount in government rehabilitation plan.
The governor also told journalists that a vocational centre will be sited at the Old Port Harcourt Primary School to train technically inclined children in Rivers State.
On security, Amaechi said more police presence will be established in Omoku area of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area to stem the rising insecurity in the area. ###
Barth Ndu
