Gov Wike nsists he Inherited Empty Treasury From Amaechi

Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, has debunked claims made by former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi that he left N10 billion in office, insisting that he met an empty treasury when he was sworn-in as governor on May 29, 2015.He said that Amaechi could not have been in control of such amount of money considering that he was unable to pay workers, pensioners, contractors and offset the school fees of the state’s students on scholarship abroad.
Wike, who spoke at the Diette Spiff Civic Centre Hall, Port Harcourt, during the ‘Civil Service Day and Awards Celebration,’ organised by the state’s civil servants, noted that Amaechi left the state in a complete mess, and even refused to pay refuse contractors because the treasury was dry.
Amaechi had in a statement released by his media office alleged that Wike had lied about the money he met in the state’s treasury when he assumed office, insisting that he left N7.5billion on May 29, 2015.
Amaechi also alleged that the state’s Commission of Inquiry was set up to witch-hunt and indict him of corruption. Wike, who feels the former governor corruptly enriched himself, and has a case to answer, said “If there were any truth in his claim that he left the sum of N10bn, why was he unable to pay civil servants, pensioners, refuse disposal contractors, for more than three months?
“Why was it that our children could not write their examinations, while those on foreign scholarship were stranded, because of the state’s indebtedness?”
Wike said he personally attended the event to demonstrate the premium he attached to civil service, and disclosed he had ordered the Commissioner for Finance to pay all overhead costs at the end of each month.
He also urged the Head of Service, Rufus N. Godwins to ensure proper lighting and other relevant facilities in the secretariat to boost conducive working environment for civil servants.
At the event which its theme was, ‘Role of Civil Service in Women Empowerment, Innovation and Accessible Service Delivery,’ the governor said the choice of a woman technocrat as a deputy was in recognition of the importance of women in nation building.