PDP to Amaechi/Dakuku: What have you brought to Rivers as Minister, NIMASA DG?

The Chairman, Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Felix Obuah, has taken a swipe at the Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, saying that the people of the state had benefited nothing from the All Progressives Congress, APC, led government since it came to power at the centre.

The PDP Chairman in Port Harcourt on Sunday observed that the situation in the state had prevailed in spite of the enviable positions occupied by the Minister and the NIMASA DG who hailed from the state.

Describing the development as “unfortunate, height of irresponsibility, and insensitivity” to the people’s expectations as well as a failure to deliver its statutory obligations to the citizenry, the PDP Chairman expressed disappointment that since their appointments, the Minister of Transportation and the DG of NIMASA had not been able to initiate any project or empowerment programme in the state.

Dr. Obuah who made these observations in a press statement signed by his Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jerry Needam, said that the duo had been unable to initiate any project or empowerment scheme in the State, noting that rather than serve as a blessing to the people of Rivers State the appointment of the APC leaders from the State had allegedly become a source of woes and anguish, “as they have only used such positions to cause crisis and division, doing everything to blackmail the government in the State in their quest to force themselves on the people undemocratically.”

According to him: “It is sad that while APC leaders from other States of the federation are making efforts, using their positions to do something positive and developmental in their respective States, our brothers in the same party, who are even holding top positions at the centre are only bent on destroying our State, always igniting crises and misinforming the good people of Rivers State on issues of development, policies and actions of government.

“Stop the noise and desist from causing problems in Rivers State, deliver meaningful projects and empowerment schemes to the people,” the PDP urged the APC top government appointees of Rivers State extraction.

He said: “Regrettably, Rivers State today is one of the few States that has not been accorded her right place by the APC government as a result of continued and deliberate denial and suppressive actions by even those who have benefitted a lot from her treasures. It is on the strength of this that we charge the duo of Amaechi and Dakuku to have a rethink, by stopping the fight of attrition against the government and people of the State and join hands to develop it and to influence federal projects into the State as their lawful responsibility.”

Dr. Obuah said that the PDP was afraid that if about two years into the life of the APC government at the national level and its leaders have not been able to show any project on ground in the State, the remaining months ahead might be impossible for them to make any reasonable mark including in security.

The PDP, then, commended the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for committing himself and the Rivers State government to ensuring peace, security, and development in the State in the face of alleged efforts to distract him by leaders of the opposition party in the State, the APC.

He particularly lauded the decision and action of Governor Wike in acquiring 10 gunboats for the Nigerian Navy which, he said, would be used for security patrol on the Waterways, hoping that on the day of handing over the boats, the NIMASA Director-General and Transportation Minister would be invited to participate in the commissioning proceedings.

In response, the APC’s Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr. Chris Finebone, said that the statement by Chief Felix Obuah graphically depicted the PDP’s “warped understanding of the dividend of democracy and good governance.”

He said: “For Rivers PDP, dividend of democracy is looting and sharing the commonwealth of the people amongst PDP government cabal as we are seeing in Rivers state.

“On the other hand, it appears beyond the compression of PDP people that appointees in the PMB government are committed people who are serving selflessly, diligently, and incorruptibly. They are there to serve Nigerian