May 29: Mass looting, last-minute recruitment scandal trail Amaechi’s government

What could be tagged as ‘executive scandal’ has allegedly hit the Rivers State Government under the leadership of Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi.

The current government has been roped with allegation of selling the state’s property ahead of the May 29 handover date.

This is coming barely a week after such allegation cropped up in Benue State where the outgoing government under the leadership of Gabriel Suswam was accused of engaging in mass looting and last-minute recruitments with the aim of dragging the incoming government into huge debt.

The latest claim in Rivers was championed by the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.

In fact, the party has publicly noted with regrets the alleged looting spree in Government House, Port Harcourt, Ministries and parastatals ahead of Governor Amaechi’s exit, on May 29.

The PDP raised the alarm of the ongoing illegal sale of Government properties to close friends, political allies and family members of the outgoing Governor of Rivers State.

It also described as frightening illegal employment in Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori, where about 500 people have been secretly employed without due process.

Chairman, Rivers State Civil Service Commission, Mr. Ngo Martins-Yellow and the 23 Local Government Caretaker Committee Chairmen are also said to be secretly recruiting thousands of persons to swell the number of Civil Servants in government employ, so that the incoming PDP government will battle the huge wage bill.

According to the claim by the incoming government, some of the government-owned properties being stolen and vandalized are mainly the unregistered brand new cars assigned to different departments of current administration.

Other equipments for the Monorail, Government Farms, Schools, Hospitals, Government owned Media Houses, among others, have been reportedly stolen and vandalized.

Some of the government officials and Gov Amaechi’s political aides fingered as the brain behind the illegal deals are: George Feyii, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs Ibim Semenitari, Information and Communications Commissioner, who has allegedly transferred most of the cars belonging to the World Book Capital to her Lagos residence.

Also mentioned in the looting spree is the Chief of Staff, Government House, Tony Okocha and commissioner for Agriculture.

The State chairman of the PDP, Bro Felix Obuah in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Jerry Needam said change of guards in governance was a normal tradition and did not mean the end of government or discontinuation of political leadership in the State.

He strongly affirmed that those behind the shady deal should desist or be ready to dace the music when he table turns.

“It is most unfortunate that this is happening in a government which officials are seeking the people’s mandate to continue in office; this has explained why God who knows the inner hearts of all men has rejected them”, Prince Obuah remarked.

The PDP State Chairman said the only reason for the evil act was to get at the State Governor-elect, Chief Barr Nyesom Wike hooked in debt.

“Unfortunately, it’s the State and the people that will suffer for the wickedness. Outgoing Gov Amaechi should therefore be called to order”, Bro Felix Obuah warned.

On the other hand, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has also accused President Goodluck Jonathan of last-minute looting of the nation’s resources, hurried recruitment into the public service and rushed privatisation of key financial institutions. APC had in a communique issued by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said it had received calls and messages by concerned Nigerians, informing it’s leaders of the unscrupulous actions of some members of the out going government led by President Jonathan.