..Accuse the govt of running the state with budget
The All Progressives Congress (APC), has asked the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to account for the over N144 billion he received from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) in the past five months.
The Caretaker Committee Chairman of the APC in Rivers state, Chief Tony Okocha, made the call yesterday, when he led stakeholders of the party on an advocacy visit to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, in Port Harcourt.
Okocha who accused governor Fubara’s administration of misappropriation of state funds, said the governor has nothing to show in the state in terms of development despite receiving over N144 billion from the Federal Government Allocation Funds from June to November, 2023.
He also urged the governor to focus on developing the state rather than playing politics with the state funds.
“This might sound unpalatable but annoying. As a party in opposition in the state, we have applied and received data on the sum received by the Rivers state government from Federal Allocation.
“From June 22, 2023 to November 2023. It is our finding that a whooping sum of N144,291,667,791.01 has been received from Federal Allocation under FAAC.
“This amount is besides internally generated Revenue of the state which is put on conservatively N10 billion every month. We regret that this humongous amount has not transmitted to action in any way in terms of development in the state.
“We, therefore, warn that as a party, We regret that this humongous amount has not translated to action in anyway in terms of development in the state. What we see are heavily funded sick processions and media presences in support for an unnecessary political imbroglio.
The Rivers APC CTC Chairman also frowned at the governor’s alleged refusal to represent the 2024 Budget Estimate to the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Amaehwule, and urged him (Fubara) to without delay go and present the budget to the assembly.
He wondered how the Rivers State government, under Governor Fubara has been spending the state funds without budget.
“We frown at the governor’s impunity in running Rivers State without a Budget. However, we remind him that it will amount to gross financial misconduct for him to continue in this dangerous voyage.
“As a party we are happy to receive you as an ornament and treasurable asset. We thereby through you demand the Executive arm to shelve their necessary delay in presenting the 2024 Budget Estimate to the Assembly, to enable the budget pass through the crucibles and be approved.
“What we see are hidden funded sick processions and media presences in support for unnecessary politics.
“We, therefore, warn that as a party, we shall not hesitate to punish any member of our party who is in cohort with this massive flopping and crafts financial magnificent of our dear Rivers state fund.”
Responding, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule said the assembly had recently, passed many bills into law which included local government autonomy bill, adding that the lawmakers had also reverted the embargo on the use of public facilities for political activities in the state.
He noted that all actions taken by the assembly were fully backed by law.
