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Tag: Chibuike Amaechi

  • Amaechi blasts Wike

    The leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, has admonished the state governor, Nyesom Wike, to accept his failure as the chief security officer of the state and quit trying to pin acts of violence on the APC.

    Amaechi spoke at a press briefing in Port Harcourt, Thursday, addressing Wike’s “malignant and calculated outburst,” alleging that the APC intends to visit violence on the state.

    Governor Wike had in his state broadcast on Thursday evening accused Amaechi and the APC of plotting to incite violence in the state. Wike also tried to make political capital of the stampede that led to the death of some persons at the APC presidential rally in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

    Amaechi said: “I listened to our governor today. Again, like the child he is, rant and say we intend to visit violence on the people. All of you who have worked with me would know that I don’t like violence because if you kill someone, you cannot replace him, you can’t bring him back to life. You can replace houses; you can replace cars and all that. You certainly can’t replace life.

    “We lost 15 persons. I was touring people’s houses, trying to identify with their pain. If the governor can remember when President Goodluck Jonathan came here and we lost 23 Nigerians in Rivers State, the same stampede, I couldn’t eat. I was watching them take lunch, I couldn’t, I was crying because those 23 persons are gone whether for good or bad just like these 15 persons will not come back. So I’ve never and I will never support violence. But I don’t also support injustice.

    Amaechi wondered why “Wike is trying so hard to avoid elections and enlisting different institutions to aid his cause. He also called on the INEC to exonerate itself from being accused of trying to help the PDP by doing the needful and obeying the stay of execution order by the Court of Appeal and relist Rivers APC and its candidates for the elections.

    “An example is the fact that there is a stay of execution granted by the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt. Just because the INEC chairman was the head of TETFUND under Wike when he was a Minister of Education, he has refused to implement that judgment. He doesn’t have the right to choose which one to implement and which one not to implement.

    “Obviously, he’s among the institutions trying to assist Wike become a second-term governor without election. We understand, but again, we believe in the judiciary, the uprightness of the judiciary. I hope so, and you heard the President when he said that the injustice will be addressed.

    “Why is Wike avoiding an election if he is that popular; why is Wike using Magnus Abe to avoid an election? That’s the question to ask. But like I told Rivers people, it is not over until it is over. We are going to go out on Saturday to vote President Buhari. If INEC decides to obey the stay of execution, then we are ready for the legislative elections on Saturday.

    “But if the INEC chairman will not obey the stay of execution because he was a worker under Wike in the Ministry of Education, then so be it. We’ll continue to pursue the rights of the people to choose who their leaders will be. You can’t force a leader on people,” Amaechi said.

    On the issue of violence, Amaechi continued, “Wike talked about violence. During my time as governor, you were free to go out at night. I drove out with just one car at night and went back home safe, but now as a minister I can’t drive around without loads of security and he is happy to be a governor in that kind of state. As a governor, no minister can threaten me, so if he feels threatened, he should stop me. He has the executive powers to. “

    He further said: “Now nobody has been arrested because of election. In 2015, all APC leaders were in detention. The agent of the president, Emma Deeyah, just came out of the INEC office to buy food, they took him away. We thought he had been kidnapped only to be brought out after the day of election and that was when we knew police took him.

    “Now, let Wike say if anybody has been arrested since we came in. It shows that the government of President Buhari understands what rule of law is, not rule of man. So tell Wike that I’m enjoying his fear; he’s scared. It’s easy to be a coward. I’ve governed this state before. All of you know I’m not a coward”.

  • Buhari urges African countries to improve ports infrastructure

    President Muhammadu Buhari has Advised African countries to improve on ports infrastructure and utilize all natural maritime endowments to facilitate trade.

    Buhari made the plea on Monday in Abuja during the first Regional Conference of International Africa Ports and Harbour (IAPH) with the theme: “Africa Ports and Hinterland Community.”

    He said that interconnectivity would improve African countries’ economic competitiveness as targeted under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

    Buhari advised that every port should have the complement of rail infrastructure.

    “To complement the improvement in trade facilitation, we have improved on upgrading infrastructure.

    “Our projection is that by the end of 2021, we will have standard gauge railway across the main North-South trading route.

    “The same level of serious attention is being given to the improvement of road infrastructure.

    “At the moment, 25 major highways and 44 roads are under construction across the six geo- political zones of the count just as we have insisted on the simulation activities on our inland waterways.

    “Major inland river channels are being dredged with adequate channel markings for ease of navigation all the way through the Eastern and Northern parts of the country.

    “That is the only way to go if we plan to remain competitive in the maritime industry.

    Read Also: 2019: Niger Delta militants endorse Buhari

    “I want to implore participants at the conference to see themselves as people opportuned to stand in positions of responsibility on behalf of Africa,” the president said.

    Buhari said that maritime sector was central to facilitation of trade and total integration of Africa for development.

    The Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, urged African countries to optimize the comparative advantage of their maritime endowments.

    Amaechi said that it should be understood that optimising maritime potential was totally dependent on efficient transportation of cargo from ports of destination into the hinterland.

    “We are therefore committed to the multi-modal system of transportation from all our ports by improving on the extension of our railways to facilitate the ease of transportation from ports to hinterlands.

    “We have started test operations in Warri and other places two months ago. We have reconstructed some railways for standard gauge to further open up the nation’s hinterlands.

    “With the development of dry ports in Kano and Kaduna, with direct rail connection, cargoes and containers now easily transmit to Northern Nigeria.

    “This also extends to Chad, Niger Republic in our determination to promote transshipment of cargoes to Niger Republic.

    “We are also partnering with the government of Niger Republic in the reconstruction of Maadi, Niger Republic, from Kano to promote regional motivation of trade,” he said.

    Amaechi said that solid minerals and some agricultural produce were already being exported from Ikorodu Lighter Terminal through Apapa port in Lagos.

    The Managing Director, IAPH, Mr Patrick Verhoven, said that Africa was the second largest and second most populous continent with six of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world.

    According to him, improving hinterland connection is not merely a matter of “hardware”.

    “It is also about investing in “software”, namely people’s skills and Smart IT with 50 per cent of Africa’s 1.2 billion people under the age of 20 and a workforce of 504 million expected by 2020,” Verhoven said.

    He told the participants to ensure that the port industry attracted the right status as well as made the best use of innovations in digitisation, stressing that the use of data was of equal significance.

    The Vice President of IAPH, Ms Hadiza Bala-Usman, said there was no doubt that “Africa holds a special space in the global space with 39 of the 54 countries on the continent endowed with littoral assets”.

    Bala-Usman, who is also the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), said that the development of the continent was to a large extent, tied to optimal exploitation of its vast maritime resources.

    According to her, determinant factors for determing ports are the speed and seamlessness with which owners of cargoes are able to move their consignments out of the ports.

    She said that Africa needed some work to be done in that area and urged participants to open their minds to speak out and learn new things that would justify the meeting.

    Bala-Usman recalled that IAPH was established to promote development of ports and create worldwide synergy for effectiveness among all member countries through strong member relationships.

    In its 63-years of existence, the association had grown into a global alliance, representing 180 member’ ports and 140 port-related businesses in 90 countries.

    NAN

     

  • Lagos-Ibadan railway to be completed in December – Amaechi

    Minister of Transport, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi has said that the Federal Government is insisting on the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan railway by December and has thus decided that the construction company should move back to Lagos and commence construction immediately.

    Amaechi disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of his meeting with Lagos state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode in Lagos House on Thursday.

    The construction company handling the project is the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, CCECC.

    According to him, there are two types of railway the FG is working on, “the narrow gauge which is already on and the standard gauge and they are emptying into the Apapa Sea port.”

    He said that Lagos has two mega stations which are at Apapa and Ebute Metta but that both stations are too small, “so we are going to expand the two stations.

    “We are going to have a Mall and hotel in the two stations, but we are looking for investors. So we should have two very big stations in Lagos, one in Apapa and the other in Ebute Metta; then Abeokuta and Ibadan.

    Amaechi also said that the FG on Wednesday awarded a contract on the Tin Can-Oworonshoki-Ojota road and that Dangote was doing one other part of it.

    “What we are trying to do there is to get good roads to evacuate cargoes, but it will be faster with the rail. So while we are working hard to make sure that the rail is delivered by this year ending, FG has also awarded a contract to deal with the road from Apapa and Tin Can to enable us evacuate cargoes freely and that is an addition to the rail”, Amaechi said.

    Read Also: Lagos warns residents of recruitment fraudsters

    The Minister praised Governor Ambode who he said has been “very cooperative from the beginning till now”, he also praised the communities from Lagos to Ibadan that allowed the FG to use their land for the project, adding that “we are here to see a win-win situation”.

    Also addressing the correspondents, Ambode thanked the FG and the Federal Executive Council, FEC for approving the reconstruction of the Tin Can-Apapa-Oshodi expressway up to the toll gate on Wednesday.

    “It is in continuaton of finding a permanent solution to what has been happening in Apapa especially in the past two weeks which has seen the Vice president visiting Lagos twice in the past two weeks and promising remedies to the situation.”

    Ambode further thanked the Ministers of Transport and Works “because the road construction that is commencing in Lagos next week is actually from Apapa Port up to Ibadan.

    “That means we are having a two pronged approach to be able to cart away cargoes from Lagos to other parts of the country.

    “We reinterate the commitment to collaborate with the FG as a State Government to make sure that we reduce the sufferings of Lagosians and I am happy that we have come out of this meeting stronger together with the FG and transport ministry to make sure that this particular rail project is delivered in the next 12 months”, Ambode said.
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  • Nigeria must borrow responsibly – Shehu Sani

    Nigeria must borrow responsibly – Shehu Sani

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, Sen. Shehu Sani, says if Nigeria must borrow, it must borrow responsibly.

    Sani gave the advice in a meeting with the Ministers of Transportation; Finance; Budget and National Planning and Power, Works and Housing on Thursday in Abuja.

    The meeting was in connection with President Muhammadu Buhari’s loan request of 5.5 billion dollars.

    Sani said: “the committee has the mandate to examine the merits and otherwise of the current loan request of 5.5 billion dollars of the president.

    “If we must bequeath to the future generation a pile of debt, it must be justified with commensurate infrastructural proof of the value of the debt.

    “The payment plan of this debt will undoubtedly last the length of our lifetimes and possibly beyond.

    “We must leave behind a legacy that will appease and answer the questions the next generation of Nigerians will ask,” Sani said.

    In his submission, Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, said that the central rail line project connecting several communities of northern and southern Nigeria would be completed in June, next year.

    According to him, 17 coaches are expected to arrive in November and out of the number, 10 will be deployed to Abuja-Kaduna rail line while the remaining seven will be deployed to the Itakpe-Warri rail line.

    Amaechi said that part of the money being requested now for approval by the senate was to execute the rail projects covering Kano-Kaduna, and Lagos-Ibadan networks.

    He informed the senators that Buhari’s directive was that all the 36 state capitals of Nigeria must be connected by the ongoing rail projects.

    Also providing insight into the loan request, the Director-General, Debt Management Office, Mrs Patience Oniha, explained that the loans have sustainable benefits that would live beyond the present generation of Nigerians.

    “What we should take away is that we are going into projects whose benefits don’t go away.

    “The roads don’t go away, the schools don’t go away, and the hospitals don’t go away but all that we need to do is to maintain them properly and that is the explanation I want to make on that,” she said.

    NAN

  • Uchendu’s swearing-in, triumph of people’s power – Dakuku Peterside

    Uchendu’s swearing-in, triumph of people’s power – Dakuku Peterside

    Dr Dakuku Peterside, the Director-General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency ( NIMASA ), says the swearing-in of Sen. Andrew Uchendu is a triumph of people’s power and resilience over violence.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Uchendu was sworn-in as a Senator to represent Rivers-East Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ).

    Peterside, in a statement on Thursday in Port Harcourt, said that the victory of Uchendu at the tribunal and subsequent swearing-in had put a stop to election manipulation.

    “As Sen. Andrew Uchendu mounted the podium and took oath of office, it has marked the collapse of the manipulation of our electoral system.

    “The swearing-in of Sen. Uchendu also marks real victory of the people’s power and conquest of resilience and determination over violence.

    “I salute Sen. Uchendu for his moment of glory and our leader, the Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, for offering leadership that strengthens our resolve, courage and gives hope to ordinary people,” he said.

    According to him, those who celebrated the shortlived victory of electoral manipulation will definitely fear God and also know that there is a limit to which they can manipulate our weak institutions.

    “Sen. Uchendu represents the true spirit of the ‘Riversman’ and the state, and his victory marks a new beginning and never again will darkness becloud our land again.

    “I join all Rivers people and particularly the thousands of young men and women who are ready to go to any length to defend their conviction to celebrate this new era,” he said.

    Peterside, who was the Rivers APC Governorship candidate in 2015, thanked supporters of the party who made necessary sacrifice to be in Abuja to witness the historic swearing-in.

    “I thank those who invested resources to celebrate our brand new Senator in both newspaper publications and various massmedia platforms,” he said.

    The National Assembly Appeal Tribunal for Rivers on Aug. 24 sacked Sen. George Sekibo of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) to issue Certificate of Return to Uchendu.

  • Stop promoting conflict, South-South group advises Wike

    Stop promoting conflict, South-South group advises Wike

    Chairperson of South-South Political Congress (SSPC), Mrs Ibifuro Tatua, on Tuesday advised Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers to stop promoting political conflicts with his utterances.

    She told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that some of Wike’s utterances were unbecoming of a governor.

    Tatua advised the governor to focus on the governance of the state and desist from constant expression of anger and attack on perceived opponents, including Transport Minister, Mr Chibuike Amaechi.

    She said that the people expected the governor to continue from where “his benefactor stopped but he appears to be a wrong partner for peace and progress’’.

    According to her, a governor who stoops to tale-telling and spreading the seeds of discord in the state cannot be seen as a role model for the younger ones.

    Tatua also congratulated former governor of Bayelsa, Chief Timipre Sylva on his 53rd birth anniversary, and urged him to continue to impact positively in the lives of the people.

    She commended Sylva for his performance and contributions to the socio-political and economic development of Bayelsa and the country.
    .
    “We congratulate Sylva and wish him success in his current and future endeavours, and we are pleading with him to concentrate his energy on ensuring that Bayelsa has its place in Nigeria,’’ said.

  • What Buhari is in China for

    What Buhari is in China for

    President Muhammadu Buhari is expected in China this week to further discuss Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with the Chinese government.

    This is according to a post that appeared on the Presidential Twitter handle noting that besides Beijing, President Buhari will visit the Shanghai Free Trade Zone and Guangzhou Econ and Technology Development Zone.

    The post states: “President Buhari will open the China-Nigeria Production Capacity and Investment Cooperation Forum in Beijing on Tuesday April 12.

    “China and Nigeria began diplomatic relations in 1971. In 2001, both countries signed a Bilateral Trade Agreement while in 2005, a Strategic Partnership Agreement was signed.”

    Ministers on the President’s entourage to China include Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Agriculture, Ogbeh Audu; Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi; Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and Industry, Trade and Investment Minister, Okechukwu Enelamah

  • Amaechi has laid solid foundation in Rivers, says Peterside

    Amaechi has laid solid foundation in Rivers, says Peterside

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship hopeful in Rivers State, Dakuku Adol Peterside, has said Governor Chibuike Amaechi has laid a formidable foundation of service delivery in the state.

    The aspirant said he would perform well, if he got the party’s ticket ahead of next year’s election.

    Peterside spoke at the weekend when he addressed APC supporters at Kono Waterfront after he collected his permanent voter’s card (PVC) at Opobo Town Ward 3.

    He said: “I want to express appreciation to Governor Amaechi, who made efforts to make Rivers State great. He is a visionary leader, who came and transformed the state. He has laid a solid foundation for me.

    “I am extremely surprised to meet you (supporters) of Kono here because I did not contact anybody to gather you here to meet with me. But I believe you heard that I was coming home and that I would pass through this route to my town, Opobo. That was why you gathered here to receive me.

    “Let me remind you all that Kono and Opobo have been two neighbouring towns which share common interests. I am very sure that nearly every Opobo indigene has a family in Kono. I know that if I come to Kono, Kono indigenes will receive me into their homes. I think this is a time that every Kono individual should begin to kneel down and thank God for locating us.”

    The APC governorship aspirant promised that his administration, if voted into power, would eliminate poverty and build on the economic potential of the state to achieve a better life for Rivers residents.

    “When we assume power in 2015, I will wipe out poverty. I will ensure that the economic potential is realistic in building a new Rivers State. I believe we can do this with the help of God. All we need is to give our leadership immense support. We will build on the foundation of Governor Amaechi. In this journey, everybody has a role to play.

    “Everything begins with a step, and the first step you will take is to go and obtain your voter cards. It is your power to determine your leaders in 2015. Don’t subject yourselves to any bribe. It will fail you from the determination of your future. I urge you all to play your part. Promise me that you will not disappoint me. Rivers people should trust me. I mean, I owe you a responsibility.”

    The APC aspirant also promised to attract investors to the state and ensure transparency in the affairs of the state with the fear of God.

    Peterside said: “I will attract investments to Rivers State. So, everybody will come and join us to develop the state. We will work with the fear of God. I am a son of God and I will account to God and man through transparency, decency, honesty. All of us must work together; our strength is our unity.”

    He urged members of Kono Youth Vanguard and APC supporters in Ogoniland to enlighten their followers to vote him in the 2015 elections.

    At the Ward 3 polling unit in Opobo, Peterside said the PVC was an important document about leadership.

    The aspirant urged Rivers residents to collect their PVCs and vote him in next year.

    Peterside said: “This is a very important civic duty. I want to encourage everybody to be part of it. A development of this nature rests on leadership. Rivers State needs the kind of leadership to accelerate development and we need to obtain our PVC to maintain the needed change.

    “We want leaders, who will pursue our desires and aspirations. Our leaders should see an election as a necessary obligation to choose leaders who will build a great nation. That means selfless sacrifice.

    “I urge all Rivers men and women, who feel that we can develop on the foundation of Governor Amaechi, to get their PVCs and vote for us. We can build on that to develop our dream. With what I have seen today, if it is what is happening in other polling units across the state, then, we should say INEC is working. And it means votes will count.”

     

  • Nigeria is on edge of precipice, says Amaechi

    Nigeria is on edge of precipice, says Amaechi

    •Mark’s wife at 63 seeks Chibok girls’ rescue

    Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi has said the nation’s sundry predicaments have shown that it is on the edge of a precipice.

    He described the kidnap of Chibok schoolgirls and the Federal Government’s inability to rescue them as a dent on the nation’s image.

    The governor spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital,  when he opened the 44th/9th biennial conference of Methodist Church Nigeria at Wesley Methodist Church.

    This year’s theme of the conference is: Let My People Move Forward.

    Amaechi, who was represented by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr. Nabbs Imegwu, said there is need for a change in  Nigeria’s political journey to enable the people enjoy a new lease of life.

    According to him, the nation’s leaders has shown disregard for the rule of law and reckless disposition to the demands of their offices.

    Amaechi said: “This country is on the edge of a precipice. Rivers State happens to be one of the places chosen wittingly or unwittingly for some of these acts that exhibit reduction in righteousness and outright show of man’s impunity to another.

    “I am thrilled about the fact that the general sentiment is about making a change. Change is real; change brings about development; change brings about progress.

    “If you find yourself doing the same thing the same way over and over again, over a period of time and getting the same result and you insist of doing the same thing the same way, then you are not interested in change. You are not interested in progress. You have to change your method for the better.

    “We have become a global flashpoint for the wrong reason. Countries and nations get reckoning internationally for positive things. Lately, the frequency of mentioning (about Nigeria) in the media, such as the CNN, has never been so prominent. But there has been prominence over the nastiness of all the things you can imagine. It is a national malaise, and we should look at it that way.”

     

  • Amaechi blames Fed Govt for girls’ abduction

    Amaechi blames Fed Govt for girls’ abduction

    Worried that more 200 students abducted  from Chibok Government Girls Secondary School in Borno State since April 15 are still languishing in captivity, Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State has put the blame at the doorsteps of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government.

    Amaechi, who stated this yesterday while addressing children and other members of the public at an interdenominational church service to mark the 2014 Children’s Day held at the Alfred Diete Spiff Civic Centre, Port Harcourt, did not also spare Nigerians as he said that they voted the wrong party into power. He said the only way the change needed in the country can materialise is to vote out PDP in the 2015 general elections. Said he: “The blame is on us; your parents and those of us who are in government. We owe you the responsibility of safety; we owe you the responsibility of good education so that you can become for us the future parents when we depart this world.

    “All of us are guilty of this crime because in 2011, we went and voted for this government. So, we are responsible for the kidnap of Chibok school children, because we chose the government; you chose me and you chose the president. If, therefore, you are not able to protect the Chibok girls, then, all of us, especially the government in power, should be held responsible for the lives of the children of Chibok.”

    The Governor added that God allowed the incident to occur to expose the leaders because the level of corruption in the country has become uncontrollable. He also blamed PDP for being after its political affairs without paying attention to the predicament of over 200 abducted schoolgirls and insecurity in the country. “I have said it before; God is tired of Nigeria, and now is the opportunity to choose another government. Chibok girls are over 200. You heard they killed 310 the next week near Chibok; what did we do? They are killing every day. People are losing their children, losing their parents every day. They went to Yobe State, burnt the whole school and killed children. What did we do?

    “ It means that you and I must rise up and ask for change today, including the children, to demand for a better government, to demand for accountability, to ask why Chibok girls were kidnapped and PDP was celebrating in Kano. All of us are guilty of the crime against Chibok girls, not the president. The president or PDP is guilty because it is in power and they are supposed to protect you and I; but, you and I are not protected. But, we are guilty of choosing them.” However, the governor further urged Nigerians to continue praying for safe release of the girls, explaining that  reason his State decided to mark this year’s Children’s Day celebration with a solemn assembly, is  to enable them  share in the pains of the victims and their parents. ENDS