Amaechi to British Govt: Tell Jonathan to step up fight against corruption

GOVERNOR Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, has called on Britain to appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan to intensify his effort in the battle against corruption.
He also expressed concern over the way the Federal Government was going about the crusade against oil theft in the country, which he noted, has largely depleted the country’s resources.


The governor in Port Harcourt, when he played host to the British Minister for Africa and Member of Parliament, Mr. Mark Simmonds, said he was not sure if the Federal Government was truly determined to confront oil theft and corruption.

He said that Rivers State Government acquired two helicopters that would have aided the government in the crusade, but the Federal Government denied them entry into the country, apparently for political reasons.

“For two years now, the Federal Government has refused entry into the country, two surveillance helicopters paid for by the Rivers State Government. These helicopters have cameras and their job is to fly all over and whoever that is stealing oil, you will see,” he said.

And the helicopter will have a monitor with the Army, Police, Air force and with the Department of State Security, DSS.I don’t know how much you have seen about oil theft, and I don’t know if the Federal Government is serious about combating oil theft.

Why I say this is that For two years now, the Federal Government has refused entry into the country, two surveillance helicopters paid for by the Rivers State Government.
These helicopters have cameras and their job is to fly all over and whoever that is stealing oil, you will see. And the helicopter will have a monitor with the Army, Police, Air force and with the Department of State Security, DSS.

“I suspect the refusal may be for political reasons. The helicopters have been packed in America for two years now, and the Rivers State Government is paying demurrage on them.

We paid for it, not the Federal Government, and we are prepared to help them, but the President has emphatically refused to allow the two helicopters into the country in the past two years. We are still paying demurrage.”

The governor blamed diversion of public funds as another major problem confronting the country, stressing that the ugly situation had made it difficult for some states to effectively pay salaries of workers.

He appealed to the British Minister for Africa to raise the issue of corruption and the seeming insincerity on the part of the Federal Government to confront oil theft.