Paris Loan Refund: FG Lied Against RSG – Wike

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has declared that the Federal Government did not disburse N34billion to Rivers State as Paris Fund Club Loan Refund, saying that the level of lies, deceit and negative  propaganda by the Federal Government has reached an  embarrassing level.

Wike challenged  the Federal Government  to publish the account where it paid N34billion in respect  of the Paris Club Loan Refund due to Rivers State.

Speaking during the First Session of the 8th Synod Thanksgiving Service of the Anglican  Province of Niger Delta, yesterday, Wike said: “As I speak to you, no N34billion has been paid to Rivers State. I challenge the Federal Government to show Nigerians the account they paid the N34billion

He said that the Federal Government  released N14billion as Paris Club Loan Refund to Rivers State.

According to him, after protests  that the state had been short-changed , the Federal Government released another N3billion to the state, totaling N17billion.

The governor  explained that the state government judiciously  deployed the N17billion and monitored the  use of the local government funds for the  payment  of outstanding salaries.

Wike  accused the Federal Government  of deliberately short-changing Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Delta states by ignoring the approved payment plan.

He said: “I read on the pages of newspapers that Rivers State received the highest amount of the refund of the Paris Club to  the tune of N34billion.  I want to say categorically, that is not correct.

“The President approved that every state and local government should receive 50 percent. They came to say that they cannot pay 50 percent, but they can pay 25per cent. Now, the 25per cent of the 50 per cent, they paid Rivers State Government and local government areas, is N14billion.  They short paid Rivers State, they short paid Akwa Ibom and they short paid Delta States, which are PDP states. “

The governor added: “We are the only three states that were short-changed. They paid all other states completely.  So, we started fighting. We raised alarm, and they said we still have N3billion

“For the remaining of the 25 per cent , they called a meeting.  They now said, we cannot pay you that 25per cent fully. We will pay you part of the 25per cent now, pay part in September, pay part in December.  If they pay part now, part in September,  and pay part in December; then it will mean that they have paid Rivers State Government, N34billion “.

The governor stressed: “If they say that , we are entitled to N34billion, Okay. Being entitled and paying the money are two different things”.

He assured the people of the state that the Paris Club Loan Refund will be used to pay for the Garrison-Trans Amadi-Elelenwo road, the Woji-Akpajo Bridge and road, the Elelenwo-Akpajo Road and other key projects across the state.

“They should come to Rivers State and see what we are doing with our money in comparison  with the change states, he said.

Speaking further, Wike charged Christians to actively  participate  in the 2019 general elections to determine  their leaders.

He said Christians  must discard the lukewarm  attitude  to governance.

He urged church leaders to mobilise  their members to register  in the  course of the ongoing voters registration.

Would you like to be receiving ALL Elombah.com news links ‘On The Go’ on WhatsApp?  If yes, please provide us your WhatsApp number via publisher@elombah.com or inbox +2349050382526 and you are ready to go!

© Copyright 2017 www.elombah.com; unless otherwise indicated, all images are courtesy of Twitter; send eyewitness accounts/reports/articles to publisher@elombah.com; follow us on twitter @Elombah; like our Facebook page: Elombah.com; join us on WhatsApp HERE

For advert placement call us on +447460770987, +2349050382526

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook