has again received confirmation by officials of two companies, Intels Services and Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Ltd insisting that the Nyesom Wike-led Rivers State Government blackmailed them into fully paying for the reconstruction of a section of the East/West Road.
The APC in a statement signed by its spokesman, Mr. Chris Finebone, said “the officials, who pleaded anonymity, disclosed to the APC that the hurried meeting the Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Mr. Kevin K. Wachukwu held with them after the APC raised the accusation against the governor earlier, was to cover up their dubious action having been caught pants down.”[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
The APC expressed sadness that the Commissioner for Works, at the behest of Governor Nyesom Wike, was unable to address the facts of the matter which are:
1. That Governor Wike, at the time of flagging off the project, stated that the contractor [RCC] will be paid N1.5bn immediately before commencement of work while the balance will be paid when work got up to 80 per cent and that the project will be completed in two months.
2. That the partnering companies such as Indorama Petrochemicals Ltd, Intel Services, NNPC and others had fully paid over N2b by July, 2015.
3. What accounts for the fact that there have not been activities by RCC at the work site for months now?
4. That whereas the partnering companies had contributed over N2bn only N1.85bn has been paid to RCC.
5. How come the Commissioner for Works cited only companies like NPA and Oil & Gas Free Zone Authority that allegedly had not made full payment but went quiet about those companies that have fully paid such as Intels Services, Indorama, NNPC [Refinery] and others and the amount paid?
The APC therefore, challenged Governor Nyesom Wike to publicly refute that the following contributions have been fully paid: Intels Services
N1 billion, Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Ltd N500 million, Port Harcourt Refinery [NNPC] N300 million, and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) N250 million, among others totalling over N2bn.
“Besides, the APC finds it curious but not surprised that the governor has only paid N150m being 50 per cent of the N300m contribution the Rivers State Government is expected to make towards the project as revealed by Mr. Akinfewa Oyebode, the RCC representative, whereas the Commissioner for Works, Mr. Kevin K. Wachukwu, at same meeting,
claimed that the Rivers State Government has paid its own counterpart contribution. We are not surprised because many a Rivers person knows
that on May 29, 2015 we all were railroaded on a trip to nowhere aboard a one-chance-bus with the governor as the driver, conductor, mechanic and everything. Luckily for the good people of Rivers State, redemption is beckoning” the statement declared.