Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has hit back at his predecessor and Minister for Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, saying the former governor could only be remembered for white elephant and uncompleted projects in the state.
He said instead of focusing on the real essence of development, Amaechi was concerned with awarding political projects to boost his personal ego.
The governor spoke in Port Harcourt while replying Amaechi’s comments that under Wike’s government political intimidation and insecurity had become the order of the day.
But Wike said that a project like Justice Karibi Whyte Hospital, which gulped $39.9million under Amaechi was a scam as it only existed in the paper.
He said Amaechi spent N65bn on the 1.2 kilometers Monorail Project which, he said was conceived as a white elephant project.
He said most of such political projects existed either on the pages of newspapers or were used to settle political allies.
The Governor said Amaechi and his political allies after wasting huge sums of money from the state left behind uncompleted projects.
He said: “Amaechi does not have the moral ground to talk about development in the State when he wasted so much financial resources on non existing projects.
He said: “Go round the state, you will never see anything that looks like Justice Karibi -Whyte Hospital. It is a scam that never existed.
“Again, tell me what is the traffic along Azikwe Road that a 1.2 kilometers Monorail Project will be awarded for over 65 Billion Naira.
“When I came into office, I was told that it will cost about 30 Billion Naira to complete that project. If I have such money, I will build more infrastructure across the State.
“His Economic Advisory Council led by Prof. Nimi Briggs published a document. The records covered the activities of his administration from 2007 to 2014.
“On education, the council recorded that 485 primary schools were proposed for construction. Some existing old schools were demolished when they required rehabilitation.
“Work actually started on 478 schools but only 116 schools were completed across the State. Amaechi also awarded 15 Modern Secondary Schools for 15 Local Government Areas at over Four Billion Naira each. Only the Ambassador Nne Krukrubo School in Eleme Local Government was completed and functional before he left office”.
The Governor described Amaechi as a self-seeking leader who paraded himself as one that knew everything.
Wike said the foremost schools that had produced prominent Nigerians in the state were begging for rehabilitation under Amaechi but that his predecessor abandoned them.
He said that unlike Amaechi that allegedly killed the dreams and projects of other people, he voted money to complete road projects his predecessor initiated.
The governor also berated Amaechi for saying that there was insecurity in Rivers saying he was the one, who determined heads of security agencies that should be posted to the state.
He said: “Rivers State is safer than any other State. See what is happening in Bornu, Kaduna and Plateau States where bandits have taken over their areas.
“When Amaechi was Governor, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC was chased away because of insecurity. But they are here now, constructing roads all over the State without fear.
“Amaechi’s hometown, Ubima is a place you have a large number of cultists that he uses. The heads of security agencies he influences their postings, come here and see the reality on ground that the State is safe”.
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