ACN faults Rivers acquisition of $50m aircraft

THE Rivers State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria has faulted the recent purchase of a Global Bombardier Jet worth $50m by the state government.
The party attributed the slow pace of development in the state to misplaced priorities and described the purchase of the jet as unnecessary luxury and gross extravagance.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jerry Needam, the party queried the rationale behind the spending of huge amount of money on an aircraft when some roads in the state were in bad shape.
It added that it was needless for the state government to acquire an aircraft at a time when 183 communities in four local government areas of the state were hit by floods.
Reacting to the statement, the state Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. George Ukwuoma-Nwogba, explained that the state  did not acquire a new jet.
Ukwuoma-Nwogba said old aircraft were traded for the new jet, adding that Governor Rotimi Amaechi did not display extravagance in getting the new aircraft.
He argued that apart from being the state governor, Amaechi was also the chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum and deserved such a jet.
On the allegation of misplaced priorities, Ukwuoma-Nwogba maintained that the state had done a lot in every sector of the economy.
He said, “Amaechi’s administration is not extravagant. If we are paying civil servants, building schools, health centres and employing 13,000 teachers, funds were used to achieve all these.
“The investment in monorail has been justified and this administration has constructed bridges at Eleme, Agip Junction and Obirikwere.”