He had
said, “The Minister of Finance, Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, is using her position to undermine the safety and health of the
people of Rivers State. I can’t afford to give all Rivers people bottled water,
but all I can assure you is to ensure the provision of potable water.
“But the Minister of Finance has refused to release it and I think I
should put that before you (House Committee on Water Resources). They want
Rivers people to die.”
Okonjo-Iweala
while replying in a statement issued on Tuesday night said it was “unfortunate
that Amaechi is persisting in his outrageous and totally illogical campaign of
falsehood” against her person.
The
statement signed by her Special Adviser on Communication, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu
described as “complete fabrication” Amaechi’s statement that the minister
was responsible for the delay of the African Development Bank water project.
It reads
in part, “As the ministry had
previously explained, the project is going through the processes and must get
final approval from the board of the African Development Bank and the Federal
Executive Council before the Minister can sign it.
“So, the idea that Dr. Okonjo-Iweala has refused to sign it is
preposterous and totally inaccurate.
“Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is not responsible for managing the N257bn that
Rivers State has received from the Federation Account within the first 10
months of 2013 so the suggestion that she is somehow responsible for the
challenges confronting the state doesn’t make sense.”
Punch
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