By: Felix Ikpotor
…As Assembly elects principal officers
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has been given the nod to borrow 10 billion naira from the Federal Government bailout fund.
This followed the approval given by the State House of Assembly today.
The assembly’s approval followed a letter from the governor requesting the lawmakers to grant him approval to access the 10billion naira bailout funds by the federal government.
The bailout fund by the federal government is basically meant to assist states clear their wage bill.
Speaker of the assembly, Rt. Hon. Dabotorudima Adams before granting the request read the letter during plenary while members made contributions and it was unanimously agreed.
Wike in the letter said the loan will be used to pay salaries of workers, pensioners and to complete ongoing projects in the state.
This is coming just as the chairman of a faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in the state, Beatrice Itubo in a statement alleged that the state government is yet to pay workers in the state for three months now.
Also, workers of the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency, RSSDA, we gathered are being owed over eight months salaries.
Wike so far has borrowed a total of 50 billion naira in his less than one year in office.
However, some opposition politicians have alleged that Wike has rushed to borrow the money to finance the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, billed to hold on Saturday in the state even though Wike’s reason for the loan request is different.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State House of Assembly (RVHA) has elected two new principal officers to fill vacant positions in the house.
Those elected are Martins Chike Amaewhule representing Obio/Akpor Constituency1 as Leader while Major Jack representing Akuku-Toru Constituency1 was re-elected as Deputy Whip.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after his re-election, Martins Amaewhule said he has been returned by his colleagues to continue the assignment he was given before his election was earlier annulled by the Court of Appeal.
While thanking his colleagues for re-electing him, Amaewhule said his priority is to assist the state governor, in his quest to deliver the dividends of democracy to people of the state.
Commenting on the loan, he said when the funds have been used to pay salaries, money coming into the state from other revenue sources would be used for other developmental projects by the governor.
He maintained that the 8th assembly would continue to support effective governance in the state.
