From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Mr Samuel Nwanosike, has expressed disappointment at the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, for allegedly blaming the spate of insecurity in society on unemployment.
Nwanosike, from the same local government as Amaechi, claimed that the minister’s community (Ubima) was the ‘kidnap capital in Rivers State’ during his minister’s tenure as Rivers governor.
According to the council chairman, it was the concerted efforts of Amaechi’s successor, Wike, in tackling insecurity that restored normalcy to the community.
He said Amaechi blaming unemployment for the rise in insecurity is an indictment against President Muhammadu Buhari and the transportation minister.
Nwanosike said: ‘Look at the indictment he (Amaechi) is making on Mr President; for Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi to publicly say that the reason we have insecurity in Rivers and other states in the country is because of unemployment.
‘It means that his party, which is the government at the centre, has failed Nigerians. They promised Nigerians that they will provide employment. That Nigerians should vote out Jonathan (former president), if they want jobs.
‘The insecurity he is talking about is happening in even the President’s state and all the APC-controlled states. Is he telling us that lack of jobs is leading to killing and kidnapping of students?
‘So, we are saying that he should have completed the statement by agreeing with the Northern leaders that are calling that Mr. President should be impeached.’
Nwanosike continued: ‘He has forgotten that when he was a sitting governor, his community, Ubima, was the kidnap capital in Rivers State? That, under his watch as governor of Rivers State, a reverend father was murdered in his community? During his administration, a Lebanese, who was building a road was also murdered in his community.
‘The minister’s community came back to life as a community after he had left as governor. It took Governor Nyesom Wike to come and fight insecurity to bring back his community from oblivion. Why is it that he doesn’t want Rivers people to rest?’
According to the council chairman, the minister’s claim had shown that all the security chiefs he influenced their postings to Rivers failed in their jobs.
Nwanosike asked: ‘So, what he is telling Rivers people is that all those (security heads) he brought are those who cannot protect lives and property of Rivers people. So, he should know about the insecurity in Rivers State by bringing men who cannot manage security architecture of Rivers State.
‘A man who has been a minister for six years cannot point at project he attracted to Rivers State. He was telling us he appointed 13,000 teachers. Where?” An appointment that was hurriedly put up two weeks to when he was to hand over power? Is that the appointment he was talking about?’
He said the minister organised a programme in Port Harcourt, a day after Ogoni people had honoured the governor to counter the outcome of the event.