Amaechi withdrew N53bn without project - Probe panel

The Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday submitted its report to the State Governor, Nyesom Wike, with an appeal to him to recover stolen funds belonging to the people, including the sum of N53 billion taken from the State Reserve Fund.

Rotimi Amaechi

The commission was set up by Wike to investigate the sale of valued assets belonging to the state by the Rotimi Amaechi administration.

Chairman of the commission, Justice George Omereji, suggested that the state governor should swing into action and ensure that billions of Naira belonging to the state stashed away in some places were returned while those found culpable should be prosecuted.

Omereji, who spoke with newsmen after submitting the panel’s report, disclosed that investigation had revealed that the immediate past administration in the state had removed N53 billion from the N55 billion left in the State Reserve Fund between 2014 and May 2015.

He explained that the commission could not find any project linked to the withdrawal of the N53billion from the state reserve fund and added that the money was shared among cronies of the past administration.

Describing the task given to the panel as enormous, Omereji also disclosed that the immediate past administration could not actualise the building of the Justice Karibi Whyte Hospital, even when a huge amount of money had been paid to contractors for the project.

He said, “There was the sum of N55 billion in the State Reserve Fund. Between 2014 and May 2015, they (immediate past administration) were able to remove N53 billion and we found out that the money (N53 billion) was not used for the projects in the state. The money went to individuals. From the papers submitted to us, we also found out that the money was given to people they like.

“We went to the site of the Justice Karibi Whyte Hospital, we did not see anything at all. When I told the project contractor to come with us (panel) to the place, he said snakes would bite us.

“But I insisted that we should go there. Behold, by the time we went inside, we did not see anything. The whole billions of Naira given to the man cannot be accounted for. We have recommended that those found culpable should refund the money. We even recommended that some people should be prosecuted.

“I don’t want to tell you those that will be prosecuted. It is not good for me to reveal the content of the recommendations now because we have just submitted our report.”

Earlier, Omereji had informed the governor that 27 memoranda and 142 exhibits were received by the commission and added that 25 witness testified before the panel.

“We hope that the government will act fast and by the time the government looks into this report and act fast, it will be able to recover billions that are still stashed in where they kept them.

“That money belongs to Rivers people and they should be recovered so that we can use it for the people of Rivers State,” Omereji insisted.

He, however, thanked Wike for giving him and members of the panel the opportunity to serve the state, promising to be available to serve whenever the need arises.

Responding, the state governor vowed to implement the recommendations of the Omereji-led panel and maintained that his administration would not be intimidated by any person or group of persons.

Amaechi withdrew N53bn without project - Probe panel

Corruption: Amaechi sacked cabinet for fraudulent contract

THE Head of Safety and Aviation Department in the Rivers State Ministry of Transport, Mr. Saya Antiok, said on Thursday that the former state governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, sacked his cabinet during his first term in office in order to award the monorail contract to a firm, TSI Property and Investment Holding Limited, at the sum of N50 billion.

Rotimi Amaechi

Antiok, who made this remark in Port Harcourt during the sitting of the commission of inquiry on the sale of state assets by the immediate past administration and other matters, explained that while members of Amaechi’s cabinet wanted the monorail contract to be awarded to Urbanod, an American-based firm, the former governor insisted that TSI should get the contract.

He told the commission that Urbanod offered to execute the 27.1-kilometre project at 15 percent less than what TSI Limited offered to do the job.

Antiok stated that the choice of a technical partner for the monorail project had set the cabinet against the governor before he (Amaechi) decided to  dissolved the cabinet.

He said, “Two companies were initially involved in the race to partner with the Rivers State Government on the monorail project. TSI represented by retired Brig-Gen. Anthony Ukpo and Urbanod an American firm.

“The American company made a very impressive presentation. They told the state government that they would build the monorail project at the cost of $25bn and hand it over to the Rivers State Government to operate it as its property.

“The TSI asked the Rivers State Government to fund 20 percent of the project while TSI will provide 80 percent of the funds. The TSI arrangement was for it to build and operate it for 22 years to realise its investment before handing it over to the Rivers State Government.”

Also, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs. Stella Wigwe, who spoke earlier told the commission that the past government was not prudent with the funds spent on the multi-billion naira project, adding that N33.9 bn was spent on Phase 1A, out of the N50bn earmarked for the entire Phase 1 of the project.

Explaining that the total cost for the monorail project was put at 250 million euros, the Permanent Secretary said the original concept of the project was  to start at the end of Aggrey to Air Force Gulf Club.

Wigwe added that the project, which was supposed to be a Public Private Partnership arrangement between the last administration and TSI Limited, collapsed, without any evidence of return of fund with N11bn already paid to the later.

Corruption: Amaechi sacked cabinet for fraudulent contract