Rivers Panel Of Inquiry Indicts Former Governor Amaechi, Others

The Rivers State Government has presented a white paper demanding the
immediate prosecution of the former Governor Rotimi Amaechi and all
persons involved in what the government called fraudulent
transactions.

This is following the report of the 30-day sitting of the Justice
George Omeregi led Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry, set up
to investigate the sale of state assets.

Members of the State Executive Council presented the white paper to
journalists in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The Commissioner of Housing in Rivers State, Emma Okah, who spoke on
behalf of the State Government, told journalists in Port Harcourt that
the state's Attorney-General has been mandated to start all legal
processes against former governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi; a former
military administrator of Rivers State, Brigadier Anthony Ukpo (Rtd)
and some other former political office holders to refund over 97
billion naira allegedly misappropriated in the sale of the state
valued assets.

The Commissioner of Housing stated that the issues of illegality
cannot be swept under the carpet.

"You will agree with me that the Omereji commission had several terms
of references and we will be taking them one after the other. The
first term of reference is to ascertain the sale of the Omoku 150
megawatts gas turbine; Afam 360 megawatts gas turbine; Trans-Amadi 136
megawatts gas turbine and the Eleme 75 megawatts gas turbine by the
administration of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

"The commission finds as a fact that the sale of 70% equity from the
First Independent Power Limited in Omoku gas turbine, Trans-Amadi gas
turbine, Afam Phase I gas turbine and Eleme gas turbine, have been
very difficult to justify. They have therefoe recommended the review
of sale of the power assets and the government of Rivers State has
accepted that recommendation.

"Refund of proceeds by Rotimi Amaechi, Chamberlain Peterside, and
Augustine Nwokocha. In furtherance of this findings that the sale of
the four gas turbines was unjustifiable and against the interest of
the government and people of Rivers State.

"The commission recommends that the former governor of Rivers State,
Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, along with his former commissioners for
Finance and Power , Dr. Chamberlain Peterside and Augustine Nwokocha,
respectively, should be held to account for their roles in the sales
of the power generation assets of First Independent Power Limited and
the disbursement of the proceeds there from.

"Government accepts this recommendation and directs the office of the
Honorable Attorney-General and commissioner for Justice, to promptly
set in motion the appropriate machinery for the recovery of the
proceeds of the sale of the gas turbines from the former governor,
Rotimi Amaechi, and every other persons implicated in the commission's
report," he said.

However, a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state
and former Chief Of Staff Rivers State, Glory Emeh, while reacting to
the development, expressed the view that the sale of the gas turbines
was the right thing to do.

There are expectations that the fallout of the report of the judicial
panel of inquiry would produce more controversy.

-ChannelsTV