Amaechi berates FG on corruption and oil theft

Rivers State Governor  Chibuike  Amaechi Tuesday in Port  Harcourt berated the Federal Government for its inability to fight corruption and oil theft in the Country and called for immediate action to tackle the menace . Amaechi spoke Tuesday when the British Minister for Africa and Member of Parliament, Mark Simmonds visited him  in Port Harcourt. […]

Rivers State Governor  Chibuike  Amaechi Tuesday in Port  Harcourt berated the Federal Government for its inability to fight corruption and oil theft in the Country and called for immediate action to tackle the menace .
Amaechi spoke Tuesday when the British Minister for Africa and Member of Parliament, Mark Simmonds visited him  in Port Harcourt.

 

The Governor  recalled that his administration had procured two surveillance helicopters that would assist the Federal Government to fight oil theft, but expressed disappointment over the inability of the Federal Government to ensure it’s arrival to the state.

 

 “I don’t know how much you have seen about oil theft, and I don’t know if the Federal Government is serious about combating oil theft. Why I say this is that for two years now, the federal government has refused entry into the country, two surveillance helicopters paid for by the Rivers State Government. These helicopters have cameras and their job is to fly all over and whoever that is stealing oil, you will see. And the helicopter will have a monitor with the Army, Police, Airforce and with the Department of State Security(DSS) ….”

 

“I suspect the refusal may be for political reasons. The helicopters have been packed in America for two years now, and the Rivers State Government is paying demurrage on them. But if you see how much oil we are losing, we hear it is about 7 billion dollars annually, then you will see that we need the helicopters.”

 

“We paid for it, not the Federal Government, and we are prepared to help them but the President has emphatically refused to allow the two helicopters into the country for the past two years. We are still paying demurrage. The manufacturers have asked us if they should sell them. So if the Federal Government say they need help, why not bring in the helicopters rather than run to the British government. These are questions you should ask them. I said same thing to the American delegation. Our problem is not just oil theft which is costing this country to lose about 7 billion Dollars a year, but financial diversion also”, he said.

The Governor stated that the  last letter written by the Central Bank Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, was the diversion of $49.8 billion Dollars stressing that Federal Government has been able to manage the crisis to reach $20 billion dollars.

According to him “the President doesn’t know the figures accurately. They are calling 20 billion dollars, while others say it is 10 billion dollars. But, even, if it is one billion dollars, it is a hundred and seventy billion naira, which is almost the budget for Enugu, Anambra and Kwara States combined in a year. So, when the Prime Minister is discussing with Mr. President they should address these issues”.

He  also decried  the high level of corruption in the country, which he explained has hampered some state governors from paying salaries effectively, and advised the federal government to govern by the rule of law and not by the rule of man.