Amaechi should account for N3tr Rivers money -----Okah

Rivers State Government  has accused former Governor Rotimi Amaechi of being mischievous with his claim that the probe of his administration by Governor Nyesom Wike was a witch-hunt.

Commissioner for Housing, Mr Emma Okah in a statement in Port Harcourt on Monday,  said that Amaechi should be bold enough to explain to Rivers people how some part of the N3 trillion his administration allegedly received was expended.

Okah, said "There is nothing wrong or immoral for an administration that received and managed about N3tr 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.

”The Wike administration is merely protecting the people’s interest by inquiring into how public resources were wasted 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 simple thing Amaechi needs to do, if invited by any commission of enquiry, is to state his side of the story and tender documents to buttress his case. There is nothing to fear if his hands are clean.

“Is it proper for Amaechi to sell off 70 percent 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stations (Eleme, Omoku, Afam and Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt) at the cost of $302.400milliion and the entire money was withdrawn between December 2014 and April 2015 without any document of transaction or payment into any government account.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 authorized the receipt and where is the money?

“Is it witch hunt for the former governor to withdraw the sum of N812m 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“Is it witch-hunt for the sum of N200m to be withdrawn in cash from the various accounts of Ministry of Works on May 28, 2015 for no official purpose?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  N2bn 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?

“Finally, should Amaechi not explain how he budgeted N2bn for scholarship to Rivers scholars abroad and before his eyes, the Consultants who paid the money took out N900m as their fees, leaving only N1.1bn for the stranded students and yet Amaechi cries witch-hunt?

“Therefore, Wike is not witch-hunting Amaechi. Rivers people expect Amaechi to face these questions with the same bravery that he is known for. Shouting about witch-hunt is not the solution."