By Simeon Nwakaudu
The interesting thing about this political era is that there is so much noise about change, with very little substance. Those who perpetually cry change are actually the ones deliberately destroying the nation and mismanaging the commonwealth of the people.
Indeed, leaders who have woefully failed their people have turned themselves into evangelists of anti-corruption with the sole aim of diverting the attention of the people from their filthy present. These leaders enjoy a strong media attention since they have deep pockets and control very firmly, the mechanics of false propaganda.
One of these leaders is the outgoing governor of Rivers State, Mr Rotimi Amaechi. Other than his paid media presence, those who have been opportuned to visit the 23 local government areas of Rivers State would agree that Mr Amaechi has nothing to show for the over N3.5trillion that have accrued to Rivers State since he took over the reins of administration in October 2007.
Whatever projects that are on ground in the state were executed mainly between 2007 and 2011, when he had Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike as the coordinator of development activities and the Chief of Staff to the Government of Rivers State. Thereafter, the state in local language, ‘enterred one chance’.
The level of squander-mania in Rivers State is the worst in the history of any state of the federation. What makes this case unnoticeable to those who live outside Rivers State is the fact that Amaechi has permanently hijacked the media and the instruments of propaganda.
Therefore, it is now impossible for the media, local or national to point out to Nigerians the massive neglect of Rivers communities, failure of projects, corruption in the sale of state government assets to cronies of the governor, high level insecurity occasioned by the failure of governance and several other developmental challenges that bedevil the people of Rivers State.
In the days of Joseph Mbu, Amaechi in active connivance with his sponsored section of the media blamed all his failures on Mbu, though the state was at peace at the end. The security situation in the state today is at an all-time low. Those being sponsored by Amaechi will never raise this issue. Cholera is ravaging Rivers rural communities due to the absence of clean water and health facilities. Nobody will bring it up for discussion. Riverine communities remain cut off from the rest of Rivers State. This is not an issue for media attention. The monorail project is just an amusement project of 2kilometres in an area with no traffic congestion. The media comfortably looks the other way.
It is imperative to state that the level of corruption that has been witnessed under the failed administration of outgoing governor Amaechi has robbed the state of the much needed development. Just imagine what the over N320billion Amaechi wasted on the sponsorship of opposition politics and serving of his personal accounts between January 2014 and January 2015 would have done for Rivers State.
Rather than live up to his constitutional responsibility of developing Rivers State, Amaechi has lined up fictitious projects everywhere around the state. These non-existent projects have been used as conduits to siphon funds meant for the growth of a once vibrant state.
It is disheartening that the following non-existent projects have been used by Amaechi to defraud the people of Rivers State-Abonnema Bridge project (N53.2b), Section 1 Trans Kalabari road, N2billion, Omoku Internal roads, N1billion, release of funds for Port Harcourt Centenary mascot N1.7billion, enhancement of Port Harcourt Centenary N561million, release of funds for Port Harcourt centenary, N864million and several other fictitious projects.
Despite the media hype that has been the strategy of Governor Amaechi, the average Nigerian must have been surprised at the speed at which the outgoing governor and his political party are being swept away by the Rivers people. They people wear the shoe and they know the truth. The propaganda machinery can only work for the media consultants who cart away monies meant for the development of the state.
Whether or not the media cover up continues, the day of reckoning is fast approaching. The people of Rivers State will pass their verdict on Amaechi, the APC and Amaechi’s stooges. Those who care to analyse the situation in Rivers State would admit that the support of the people has departed from outgoing governor Amaechi and now rests with the incoming governor, Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
Amaechi must be made to account for his financial recklessness in the management of resources in Rivers State. He must be made to return all state assets allegedly sold to himself and his cronies. He should face the consequences of the large scale corruption of his administration that has crippled the process of development in his state.
If Amaechi had committed just 20percent of resources that have accrued to Rivers State to the development process, the state would have been competing favourably with her oil producing peers. Rivers people are tired of Amaechi’s unproductive technique. Whenever attention is about being shifted to his profligacy, Amaechi ignites his propaganda machine.
This time the game is up for Amaechi. There is always an end to scheming. Rivers State is in the process of re-connecting with the Federal Government through a Jonathan-Wike victory. On this premise, no level of sponsored propaganda will save Amaechi and his corruption tainted administration.
Indeed, leaders who have woefully failed their people have turned themselves into evangelists of anti-corruption with the sole aim of diverting the attention of the people from their filthy present. These leaders enjoy a strong media attention since they have deep pockets and control very firmly, the mechanics of false propaganda.
One of these leaders is the outgoing governor of Rivers State, Mr Rotimi Amaechi. Other than his paid media presence, those who have been opportuned to visit the 23 local government areas of Rivers State would agree that Mr Amaechi has nothing to show for the over N3.5trillion that have accrued to Rivers State since he took over the reins of administration in October 2007.
Whatever projects that are on ground in the state were executed mainly between 2007 and 2011, when he had Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike as the coordinator of development activities and the Chief of Staff to the Government of Rivers State. Thereafter, the state in local language, ‘enterred one chance’.
The level of squander-mania in Rivers State is the worst in the history of any state of the federation. What makes this case unnoticeable to those who live outside Rivers State is the fact that Amaechi has permanently hijacked the media and the instruments of propaganda.
Therefore, it is now impossible for the media, local or national to point out to Nigerians the massive neglect of Rivers communities, failure of projects, corruption in the sale of state government assets to cronies of the governor, high level insecurity occasioned by the failure of governance and several other developmental challenges that bedevil the people of Rivers State.
In the days of Joseph Mbu, Amaechi in active connivance with his sponsored section of the media blamed all his failures on Mbu, though the state was at peace at the end. The security situation in the state today is at an all-time low. Those being sponsored by Amaechi will never raise this issue. Cholera is ravaging Rivers rural communities due to the absence of clean water and health facilities. Nobody will bring it up for discussion. Riverine communities remain cut off from the rest of Rivers State. This is not an issue for media attention. The monorail project is just an amusement project of 2kilometres in an area with no traffic congestion. The media comfortably looks the other way.
It is imperative to state that the level of corruption that has been witnessed under the failed administration of outgoing governor Amaechi has robbed the state of the much needed development. Just imagine what the over N320billion Amaechi wasted on the sponsorship of opposition politics and serving of his personal accounts between January 2014 and January 2015 would have done for Rivers State.
Rather than live up to his constitutional responsibility of developing Rivers State, Amaechi has lined up fictitious projects everywhere around the state. These non-existent projects have been used as conduits to siphon funds meant for the growth of a once vibrant state.
It is disheartening that the following non-existent projects have been used by Amaechi to defraud the people of Rivers State-Abonnema Bridge project (N53.2b), Section 1 Trans Kalabari road, N2billion, Omoku Internal roads, N1billion, release of funds for Port Harcourt Centenary mascot N1.7billion, enhancement of Port Harcourt Centenary N561million, release of funds for Port Harcourt centenary, N864million and several other fictitious projects.
Despite the media hype that has been the strategy of Governor Amaechi, the average Nigerian must have been surprised at the speed at which the outgoing governor and his political party are being swept away by the Rivers people. They people wear the shoe and they know the truth. The propaganda machinery can only work for the media consultants who cart away monies meant for the development of the state.
Whether or not the media cover up continues, the day of reckoning is fast approaching. The people of Rivers State will pass their verdict on Amaechi, the APC and Amaechi’s stooges. Those who care to analyse the situation in Rivers State would admit that the support of the people has departed from outgoing governor Amaechi and now rests with the incoming governor, Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
Amaechi must be made to account for his financial recklessness in the management of resources in Rivers State. He must be made to return all state assets allegedly sold to himself and his cronies. He should face the consequences of the large scale corruption of his administration that has crippled the process of development in his state.
If Amaechi had committed just 20percent of resources that have accrued to Rivers State to the development process, the state would have been competing favourably with her oil producing peers. Rivers people are tired of Amaechi’s unproductive technique. Whenever attention is about being shifted to his profligacy, Amaechi ignites his propaganda machine.
This time the game is up for Amaechi. There is always an end to scheming. Rivers State is in the process of re-connecting with the Federal Government through a Jonathan-Wike victory. On this premise, no level of sponsored propaganda will save Amaechi and his corruption tainted administration.
Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant (Media) to Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Rivers State PDP Governorship Candidate.
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