Rivers Assembly suspends three LG bosses, dares Amechi, commissioners, nine gov’s aides

The Rivers State House of Assembly on Monday suspended three local government caretaker committee
chairmen.
The lawmakers said the suspension became necessary following reports of financial recklessness and insecurity within the chairmen’s council areas.
Those suspended were Cassidy Ikegbidi (Ahoada East), Ojukaye Flag-Amachree (Asari-Toru) and Derick Mene (Khana).
An adhoc committee was immediately set up to investigate allegations against the affected council chairmen.
The lawmakers, who expressed worry over the condition of the state’s economy, summoned nine commissioners and four heads of ministries, departments and agencies to appear before by 10am on Tuesday.
Those invited by the state House of Assembly are Commissioners for Information, Finance, Tourism, Health, Power, Works, Agriculture, Budget and Transport.
Heads of ministries, departments and agencies summoned by the House are the Accountant-General, Chairmen of  Board of Internal Revenue,  Rivers State Assembly Service Commission and Secondary School Management Board.
The House observed that while the state government was insisting that it had paid salaries of civil servants up to March 2015, there were reports that the claim was not true.
Prior to the Assembly decisions to summon the commissioners and heads of MDAs, the Deputy Leader of the House, Mr. Nname Ewor, had during the 169th legislative session, presented two motions.
Ewor, who represents Ahoada East Constituency 1, had raised the alarm over the level of insecurity and mismanagement of public funds, adding the situation was common in the three affected local government areas.
He said, “In these three councils, human lives have been rendered insignificant and financial frugality has been jettisoned to the waste bin. The local government areas are drifting to the Hobbesian State of Nature.
Also, the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Leyii Kwanee, explained that the decision of the House decision was not a witch-hunt.
Kwanee, who presided over the sitting of the House, expressed worry that the report on the state’s economy was not encouraging.
He added that the development necessitated the invitation of some top government officials to the House for some explanations on the issue.
Rivers Assembly dares Amaechi, summons nine gov’s aides

THE Rivers State House of Assembly appears to be on a head-on collision with the State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, over civil servants’ unpaid salaries.
The lawmakers, who expressed shock at the contrasting reports on the unpaid salaries of workers and the state’s economy, summoned nine of the governor’s aides to appear before the House by 10am on Tuesday to make clarification on the issues.
Those invited, according to the lawmakers, who sat on Monday, are Commissioners for Information, Finance, Tourism, Health, Power, Works, Agriculture, Budget and Transport.
Also, heads of ministries, departments and agencies summoned by the House are the Accountant-General, Chairmen of  Board of Internal Revenue,  Rivers State Assembly Service Commission and Secondary School Management Board.
This will be the first time the House would summon nine of the governor’s aides to give explanation on the state of River’s economy and unpaid workers’ salaries.
The House had observed that while the state government was insisting that it had paid salaries of civil servants up to March 2015, there were reports that were contrary to such claim.
Meanwhile, the State House of Assembly has suspended three local government caretaker committee chairmen.
The lawmakers said the suspension became necessary following reports of financial recklessness and insecurity within the chairmen’s council areas.