Ministerial List: More Trouble For Amaechi As Rivers Orders Him, Others To Return N97bn

The immediate past governor of Rivers State Rotimi Amaechi,  former military administrator of the state, Anthony Ukpo (retd.) and others who had held public offices in the past to return N97bn to the state.

This is just as the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, had announced the suspension of some permanent secretaries said to have been indicted by the report of the Justice George Omereji commission of inquiry.

The state government, who briefed newsmen shortly after the State Executive Council meeting at the Government House in Port Harcourt, declared that the sum was misappropriated in the sale of Rivers State valued assets.

The State Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Emma Okah, who spoke with newsmen after a White Paper was issued based on the report of the commission of inquiry, said Amaechi and others found to have been involved in the misappropriation of state funds must return them or face prosecution.

The state governor had set up a judicial commission of inquiry into the sale of valued assets belonging to Rivers by the immediate past administration.

Okah specifically said that the state government had ordered its Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Chinwe Aguma, SAN, to start the process of charging Amaechi and two others to court over the sale of the state gas turbine without due process.

Though no ultimatum was given to the former governor and others indicted by the commission of inquiry to return the said funds, Okah added that an ex-commissioner for Finance, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside and Augustine Nwokocha, who was the immediate past commissioner for Power, would also be prosecuted.