The Action Congress of Nigeria, Rivers State
Chapter, has threatened a court action unless Governor Rotimi Amaechi
discards his plan to buy a $48m jet for the state.
Since the state House of Assembly gave the governor the go-ahead to purchase the aircraft, the ACN had been vehement in its criticism, saying a jet was not the most important thing Rivers people needed.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jerry Needam, on Monday, the party said buying a jet in the midst of hunger, poor road network, unemployment, among others smacked of ‘wickedness and insensitivity.”
Those to be joined in the suit apart from Amaechi are the State House of Assembly and House leader, Chidi Lloyd.
The party also said it would challenge the state Procurement Law which empowers the governor to spend about 30 per cent of the state’s annual budget freely and on any project(s) and job(s) of his choice.
The ACN said buying the jet had an ulterior motive and urged the people of the state to reject it.
The party said, “Last time it was a request for a N30bn loan for infrastructural development the House expressly approved.
“Later, it was a request for the another N100bn loan for the completion of developmental projects, the House in like manner approved. This time it is a N250bn repayment bond, another name for loan, the House also approved.
“All these are signals that the state is broke and cannot on its own function effectively without external help, yet both Amaechi and the lawmakers do not see anything wrong with purchasing a new aircraft for a huge sum of $48m.
“The rehabilitation of deplorable state roads, the monorail, power and water for all across the state, Greater Port Harcourt City etc are no longer government priorities but the purchase of an aircraft.”
The party wondered why the Amaechi administration that criticised the purchase of a private aircraft by the Peter Odili government, vowing to follow a different path that would benefit the masses more, had insisted on purchasing an expensive jet.
The ACN said it was on account of that the idea of selling off the two private aircraft bought by the previous administration was mooted.
The party added, “The excuse today is trading in the old aircraft for a new one. What a contradiction.
“Even the actual cost of the DASH 8 propeller aircraft sold to the Cross River State is not clear. While Governor Amaechi claims it was sold at the cost of $9m, the buyer, Cross River State, said it was $6m.”
By Simon Utebor Courtesy Of: Punch
Since the state House of Assembly gave the governor the go-ahead to purchase the aircraft, the ACN had been vehement in its criticism, saying a jet was not the most important thing Rivers people needed.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jerry Needam, on Monday, the party said buying a jet in the midst of hunger, poor road network, unemployment, among others smacked of ‘wickedness and insensitivity.”
Those to be joined in the suit apart from Amaechi are the State House of Assembly and House leader, Chidi Lloyd.
The party also said it would challenge the state Procurement Law which empowers the governor to spend about 30 per cent of the state’s annual budget freely and on any project(s) and job(s) of his choice.
The ACN said buying the jet had an ulterior motive and urged the people of the state to reject it.
The party said, “Last time it was a request for a N30bn loan for infrastructural development the House expressly approved.
“Later, it was a request for the another N100bn loan for the completion of developmental projects, the House in like manner approved. This time it is a N250bn repayment bond, another name for loan, the House also approved.
“All these are signals that the state is broke and cannot on its own function effectively without external help, yet both Amaechi and the lawmakers do not see anything wrong with purchasing a new aircraft for a huge sum of $48m.
“The rehabilitation of deplorable state roads, the monorail, power and water for all across the state, Greater Port Harcourt City etc are no longer government priorities but the purchase of an aircraft.”
The party wondered why the Amaechi administration that criticised the purchase of a private aircraft by the Peter Odili government, vowing to follow a different path that would benefit the masses more, had insisted on purchasing an expensive jet.
The ACN said it was on account of that the idea of selling off the two private aircraft bought by the previous administration was mooted.
The party added, “The excuse today is trading in the old aircraft for a new one. What a contradiction.
“Even the actual cost of the DASH 8 propeller aircraft sold to the Cross River State is not clear. While Governor Amaechi claims it was sold at the cost of $9m, the buyer, Cross River State, said it was $6m.”
By Simon Utebor Courtesy Of: Punch
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