RIVERS CRISIS: NLC, TUC threaten to reclaim LG offices from police

…Wike accused of plotting ‘emergency rule’ in state

BY AMAKA AGBU

Chances are rife that the ongoing political crisis in Rivers may fester a little longer as Organised Labour has asked the police to vacate the LG offices they are occupying or risk the mobilisation of labour unions to reclaim them from their grips.

Saturday Times gathered that they made the demand following an emergency state administrative council meeting at the NLC secretariat in Port Harcourt on Friday.

The meeting addressed three key issues: the constitution and inauguration of caretaker committees in the 23 local government areas, the call by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for a state of emergency in the state, as well as the police takeover of council secretariats.

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NLC Chairman in Rivers State Alex Agwanwor at the session acknowledged the police’s efforts to maintain peace but stated that denying workers access to their offices is a breach of their rights.

Agwanwor also tasked the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to instruct the Rivers State Commissioner of Police Olatunji Disu to grant workers access to their offices to carry out their legitimate duties. The labour groups warned that if their appeal is ignored, they would mobilise their members to reclaim their offices.

Meanwhile, All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, Chief Eze Chukwuma Eze, has fingered the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Barr. Nyesom Wike, as the brain behind the call by Chief Tony Okocha, Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the party in Rivers State, for an urgent declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State.

Following the violence that erupted in Rivers State last Wednesday, Okocha, in a press conference in Port Harcourt, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency, saying the state “is at war”.

Some youths had besieged local government councils in the state forcing the “stay-put” Council Chairmen to leave after their three-year tenure expired.

In his reaction, Chief Eze who is also a member of APC Legacy Projects Media Team & former National Publicity Secretary, New People’s Democratic Party ( nPDP) said “the call had been the target of the FCT Minister to create an unhealthy, crisis-ridden environment in the state and use cronies like Tony Okocha to push for State of Emergency in the state.

Eze who made these assertions in a press statement made available to the Daily Times, called on the President and Nigerians to disregard the call which he said was coming from “the unstable and politically stranded Tony Okocha and his irks whose motives are in sharp contrast to the administrative precepts of President Tinubu and Governor Siminialayi Fubara who is committed to realign Rivers on the path of progress.”

He said Okocha did not have the authority of Rivers APC to speak on their behalf in whatever capacity and that every opinion expressed by Okocha represented his personal view or the opinion of the interest he represented, therefore, should not be seen as the collective assertion of committed party faithful in Rivers State.

Reacting also to the Okocha’s views on the Federal Government loans from China for rail projects when Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi held sway as Minister of Transportation, Eze said it was an attempt to sway unsuspecting members of the public into a perpetually futile scheme of smear campaign against the former Minister.

Eze said: “Recall that Mr. Okocha, had, during the week, hosted a press conference where he alleged amongst others that Amaechi led the massive borrowings from China that has put Nigeria in a dungeon and that Amaechi almost sold the franchise of Nigeria’s sovereignty through borrowing, among others.”

He flayed Mr. Okocha for “his flamboyant ignorance particularly over the loans from China to facilitate major rail and road projects in the country during the Buhari era which was a direct agreement between the Nigerian Government through the Ministry of Finance (on the one part) and the China (on the other part).”

He, then, restated that the terms of the loan were in compliance with the provisions of Section 41 (1a) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 and the low interest rate of 2.50% per annum reduced the Interest Cost to government while the long tenor made possible the repayment of the principal sum of the loans over many years.

Eze noted that the impact of those loans, especially on rail transportation, Chief was manifestly evident, citing the Idu–Kaduna Rail Line which had become a major source of transportation between Abuja and Kaduna While the Lagos–Ibadan rail line had significantly eased traffic on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

“These projects to which the loans are tied have the significant advantage of job creation, not only by themselves but through direct and indirect service providers, a number of which are Small and Medium Enterprises.

“It is widely accepted that investment in infrastructure is one of the most effective tools for countries to achieve economic growth and development. Using loans from China to finance infrastructure is thus in alignment with this position.

“The principal process and requirements for borrowing by the Nigerian Government are expressly stated in the Debt Management Office Establishment (ETC) Act, 2003 (DMO Act) and the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007.

“According to Section 21 (1) of the DMO Act, ‘No External loan shall be approved or obtained by the Minister unless its terms and conditions shall have been laid before the National Assembly and approved by its resolution’ and Section 41 (1a) of the FRA, ‘Government at all tiers shall only borrow for capital expenditure and human development, provided that, such borrowing shall be on concessional terms with low interest rate and with a reasonable long amortization period subject to the approval of the appropriate legislative body where necessary’,” Eze informed.