The lawmaker representing Ogu Bolo Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Evans Bapakaye Bipi, has accused the previous administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who is also the current minister of Transportation of looting all monies from the reserved funds of the state.
Hon. Bipi who at plenary today rose in defense of the scrapping of the law setting up the funds said: “the former administration of governor Amaechi siphoned all the savings from the fund, so which funds are we reserving. The intention was to enrich themselves and not Rivers people.”
He said the law must be repealed to give room for development of the state.
In his argument, the majority leader of the House, Hon. Martin Amaewhule said it was necessary to repeal the law which was passed in 2008 and its amendment done in 2014 because it was no longer in tandem with current realities.
Recall that part of the law stipulates that N1bn should be saved monthly in the Reserved Funds from the Federal Allocation, “for the rainy days.”
Amaewhule described the law as obsolete, noting: “Mr. speaker, in the face of biting recession, with the difficulties faced by the state in generating IGR, this law could no longer stand and when a law becomes obsolete, it is the duty of the executive to call for the repeal of such law.”
In His words: “My people of Obio Akpor Constituency, I have taken a cursory look at this law and we have come to the conclusion that it is not in the best interest of the people. You cannot ask a man who has not eaten to save, if we do not repeal this law, it would hamper the good intentions of government.”
“The only way for us to allow the governor to go ahead with his good work is to keep this law in the cooler.”.
Several other members spoke in favour of the motion to repeal the Reserved Funds law of 2008 and its amendment of 2014 .
Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ikuini Owaji Ibani committed the bill to the committee on public accounts and to summit its report within two weeks.
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