The Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Dr Austin Tam-George, on Wednesday declared that the state would demand a refund of N82 million allegedly spent by former Governor Rotimi Amaechi on a dinner for Professor Wole Soyinka during the last administration.
That is if the government confirms that Soyinka, a Nobel Laureate, received part of the funds in cash.
The Commissioner had on Tuesday revealed that Amaechi, as governor, spent N82 million to host Soyinka for just three hours.
Speaking on Wednesday, Tam-George declared that the point of departure between former Governor Amaechi and Governor Nyesom Wike was the insistence of Wike that Amaechi observed probity and accountability in all governmental actions, an advice that was thrown overboard by the former governor.
Addressing Rivers people via a radio programme on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Dr Tam-George regretted that the Amaechi administration, using the Ministry of Information and Communications headed by Ibim Semenitari, amassed N1.1 billion debt on frivolous expenditure.
“I will seek the permission of the Governor to formally write Professor Wole Soyinka, a known supporter of Amaechi if he received part of the N82 million spent on a three-hour dinner hosted for him by the Amaechi administration.
“If he agrees that he received such funds, then he will be compelled to refund same to the coffers of Rivers State.
“At present, we have presented these details to the police for investigation and prosecution. We shall also take up this matter as a financial crime against the people of Rivers State,” the commissioner said adding that all the fraudulent actions of the Amaechi administration are being addressed by the Wike administration.
He further pointed out that it would take time for the legal process to be completed because they are financial crimes.
The Information Commissioner said that Amaechi betrayed the trust of Rivers people by embarking on irresponsible expenses, which led to the mismanagement and fraudulent misuse of N3 trillion that accrued to the state under his watch.
He said that Wike had to leave the Amaechi administration when the former governor refused to adhere to “patriotic advice” to use Rivers State resources to develop the state.
“The point of departure between former Governor Amaechi and Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike was Wike’s commitment to probity and accountability.
“Governor Wike refused to be part of the financial mismanagement of resources that accrued to the state,” Dr. Tam-George told the people of the State.
He explained that already Rivers people are witnessing the proper use of resources as they are witnessing transformations across the landscape.
While addressing Government House correspondents on Tuesday, Dr. Tam-George had said that the figures were contained in the hand over note prepared by the former Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Information and Communication under the Amaechi administration.
“A government that did not pay salaries, closed the courts , but the administration had the courage to expend N82 million to fund a dinner for Prof Wole Soyinka.
“These are facts on ground. The Amaechi administration expended the money under the heading of borrowed funds,” he had said.
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