The Action Congress of Nigeria, Rivers State Chapter says the declaration by the Governor of Rivers State, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi that unavailability of funds has slowed down projects in the State has vindicated the ACN for raising alarm that Rivers State Government is broke.
The ACN in a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary, Jerry Needam was reacting to a declaration by Governor Rotimi Amaechi that the unavailability of funds has slowed down projects in Rivers State at a Town Hall Meeting with Rivers indigenes in Abuja over the weekend despite the huge sums of money that have accrued to the State over time.
We are extremely worried that same Governor Amaechi who claimed to be saving about one billion naira monthly could turn around to declare the government treasury empty.
We are also worried that Governor Amaechi who boasted that his problem was not money but what to do with it could be so broke that he is raising alarm.
What then is the justification for the elaborate Supreme Court victory celebration in Port Harcourt recently and the plan to purchase two more private jets.
We challenge Governor Amaechi to explain the reason behind the poor budget implementation.
In 2011, ministries and agencies of government including the judiciary were unable to access 50 percent of budget provision, whereas, the State government in the same year went for a supplementary budget.
We further demand to know what led to the supplementary budget in 2011 and why there were expenses outside the budgetary provisions.
In this last quarter of the year 2012, only 30 percent of the budgetary provisions has been released to the ministries, agencies etc of the Rivers State government.
We noted with sadness that in spite of government breaches of the budget, the governor of the state is crying out for lack of funds.
We also have it on good authority the desire of the Rivers State Government to go for another round of supplementary budget, when the 2012 budget has not been faithfully implemented.
The ACN in light of all this calls for probe of the finances of the Government of Rivers State, under Governor Rotimi Amaechi, now that he has confirmed that the state is broke.
Jerry Needam, JP
Publicity Secretary
Action Congress of Nigeria
Rivers State.
Monday, November 6, 2012
