PDP Queries Taking Over Of Karibi Whyte Hospital By A Chinese Company
...Asks Amaechi To Explain Roles His Family Members Played In The CLINOTECH $50Million US Dollars Scam
The Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Campaign Organisation has described the signing of a new contract between Rivers State Government and a Chinese firm for the construction of Karibi Whyte General Hospital at a cost of over $300m as another white elephant project, diversionary and politically motivated.
The Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the PDP Campaign Organisation, Barr Emma Okah made the assertion in a press statement issued in Port Harcourt today.
He challenged the outgoing Governor of the State, Rotimi Amaechi to explain to Rivers people what happened to the tax payers' money of over 50million US Dollars, known as the "CLINOTECH scam" for the construction of the Karibi Whyte Specialist Hospital in Port Harcourt, before re-awarding contract for same Hospital to another firm, a Chinese Company.
Barr Okah said Amaechi must explain to Rivers people why he demolished the existing General Hospital and still paid out $50M to his agents and yet the hospital was not built by the Contractor.
The contract which was initially conceptualised as a Private Partnership Project, PPP was later awarded as a direct contract to CLINOTECH (when Clinotech pulled out of the PPA on cost grounds) by the outgoing Governor, Rotimi Amaechi in 2009.
Why did he take such irrational decision against Rivers people and why is he in a hurry to bury this glaring case of corruption?, Okah queried.
Barr Okah also challenged the outgoing Governor of Rivers State, Amaechi to explain to Rivers people the roles his wife and other family members played in the scam surrounding the failed CLINOTECH contract.
The PDP Media and Publicity Campaign Committee Chairman, Barr Okah said Rivers people and indeed, Nigerians demand answers following the outrage the scam surrounding the CLINOTECH contract has generated and until that is done, the new contract with a Chinese firm is only another story of the old scam. To sign a new contract at this stage for two years delivery when he has a few months to stay in office and particularly, after the PDP has consistently raised alarm about the fraud perpetrated by RSG is a confirmation that the old General Hospital that was destroyed and the $50M. paid out to Amaechi's cronies may never be recovered.
"Amaechi knows he has no money to fund the project, having diverted all the State funds into the All Progressives Congress, APC electioneering campaigns" Barr Okah disclosed, adding that the whole noise about Karibi Whyte hospital is to divert people's attention from raising relevant questions about the shady deals in the CLINOTECH Scam.
He however described the signing of a new contract with the Chinese Company for over 300 million US Dollars as another opportunity to loot Rivers tax payers' money, having come to the realization that the APC will lose in the 2015 elections in the State.
Barr Okah also expressed fears that the signing of new contract papers with the Chinese Company by the Rivers State Government, second in the series, for same Hospital, will open doors for litigation, following unresolved claims and counter claims between managers of CLINOTECH, the initial contractors and the Rivers State Government.
Signed:
Barr Emma Okah
Chairman
PDP Campaign Organisation
Media and Publicity Committee
Tuesday February 10, 2015