SEIZED CHOPPER SAGA AND MATTERS ARISING

I don't know why these days, top officials of the APC led government

always want to politicised anything, that affected the opposition.

Recently, even this kind of situation has permeated some institutions

like the Nigeria Customs Service, when the Deputy Comptroller of

Customs for Lagos Area Command brought to the public domain the issue

of the two choppers and told the whole world, that they were seized

due to the fact, that the importer refuses to show up. It was not

untill some few days, that the present administration of Governor

Nyeson Wike came up with a press statement telling the world, that the

seized choppers were imported by former Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

This set the tune for the former Governor Amaechi, now the Minister of

Transportation to issued his response stating, that he imported the

two choppers with the support of the then administration of former

President Goodluck Jonathan, when the going is good and as members of

the Peoples Democratic Party. As such, the government of Rivers State

was granted waiver for customs duty for the two choppers.

But, on parting ways due to irreconcilable differences the federal

government shifted ground on the waiver earlier given to the Rivers

State Government and before the two choppers arrived the shores of the

country, former Governor Rotimi Amaechi ceases to be the Governor.

There set in the accumulation of dermurrage for the long stay of the

choppers at the port of which the Rivers State Government is not in

position. In his magnanimity, Governor Nyeson Wike wrote a letter to

the President Muhammadu Buhari, giving the choppers for the use of the

Nigeria Airforce to fight insurgency in the North East.

Rather than commend the wise decision of the Rivers State Government,

some fifth columnists railroad the customs service through the Deputy

Comptroller to portray the state government in bad light.

There is no need for those, that wanted to paint white into black

simply because the two political gladiators are on collision cause due

to political differences.
It is imperative for these two political leaders to have a genuine

truce in order for the state to forge ahead. The amount invested on

the two choppers could have done a great difference in the life of the

people of the state through the provision of portable water, good

roads and health care delivery.
Politics should not be mingle with good tidings for the progress of

the state and its people. What is most needed in the state is cohesion

and mutual respect by the citizens irrespective of political

difference and primordial interest.
The people need to eschew anything that is inimical for survival of

the state now and the near future. It is also necessary for the

prominent leaders of the state to come over the table for

reconciliation to enable the state to move forward.

Political mudsliging and insult need to be discarded. A new approach

is what is needed in Rivers State, which is known in public parlance

as the "Garden City" because of the serenity, that attract people from

all over the world.
By
Usman Santuraki
No2 Santuraki Close
Jambutu
Jimeta-Yola
[email protected]