The Rivers State governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, says he still keep an open window for the resolution of the dispute between his State and the Federal Government, adding that “Our doors remain open to a negotiated settlement of these issues within the context of the constitutional relationship between Rivers State and the Federal Government”.
Stating this in his New Year address, Governor Amaechi also highlighted the various injustices so far meted out to the state by the Federal Government, adding that he took most of his recent political decisions in defense of the people of the state.
According to him, all efforts made so far to get the Federal Government change its stance against the state had so far yielded little or no fruit.
“There is no personal quarrel between President Goodluck Jonathan, an illustrious son of the Niger Delta and myself. But the Government of Rivers State, which we have been privileged to lead, has some misgivings against certain actions of the Federal Government towards the people of Rivers State. As your elected leader, we will be failing in our duties to our people if we do not draw attention to such actions.
“First, we have expended huge resources in executing approved federal projects in the state such as the Port Harcourt Owerri Road without any refunds. Secondly, there is hardly any reasonable federal project ongoing in the state. Work on the Port Harcourt International Airport, a major gateway into the Eastern parts of the country, has been largely abandoned while airports whose rehabilitation was embarked on at the same time have since been commissioned.
