Utilise FG’s refund judiciously, APC chief tells Wike

Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has advised Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike to make judicious use of the refund he got from the Federal Government.

The President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government on Wednesday promised to release N78.9 billion as reimbursement for several federal road projects executed in Rivers by Chibuike Amaechi, now Minister of Transportation, when he held sway as governor.

Eze, in a statement made available to The Guardian yesterday in Port Harcourt, tasked Wike to avoid reckless spending of the fund, but to re-invest it in the health and education sectors.

He described the refund as a sincere and patriotic display, evidencing the commitment of Buhari and the APC towards the development of states’ economies.

The APC chieftain also tasked the governor to create job opportunities for the teeming youths in the state.

A reasonable percentage of the refund should be channeled to building factories, mills and industries, he said, stressing that thousands of jobs could be created from such initiative.

He said, “With a whopping N78.9 billion, Rivers people will no longer entertain any flimsy excuse to justify failure. Wike should translate the fund into developments in critical sectors of the state’s economy.”

Commending Buhari for his magnanimity and kind gesture, the APC stalwart accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of frustrating all efforts by the erstwhile Governor Amaechi-led government to get refund for all federal projects executed in the state under his watch.

According to him, the refund has shown that Amaechi did not embezzle Rivers funds as alleged by Wike when he assumed office.

“While urging the governor not to see the fund as an a avenue for reckless spending, we counsel him to reinvest the money into reviving the over 300 model primary health centres, 350 model primary schools and 24 international standard secondary schools built by Amaechi, as well as most of the roads scattered all over the state screaming for attention.

“He should use part of the fund to pay pensioners and civil servants in the state,” he suggested.

Some of the projects that attracted the refund include the Obiri-Ikwerre flyover along the East-West road, the 41.26km dualisation of the Airport/Isiokpo/Elele/Omerelu road and Eleme junction flyover.