In Rivers State, the Commission of Inquiry investigating selected financial dealings of the Government under the immediate-past administration of former governor, ROTIMI CHIBUIKE AMAECHI commenced hearing yesterday.

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In Rivers State, the Commission of Inquiry investigating selected financial dealings of the Government under the immediate-past administration of former governor, ROTIMI CHIBUIKE AMAECHI commenced hearing yesterday. The commission opened its investigation after a State High Court dismissed a suit filed by AMAECHI challenging the action initiated by Governor NYESOM WIKE.

In Rivers State, the Commission of Inquiry investigating selected financial dealings of the Government under the immediate-past administration of former governor, ROTIMI CHIBUIKE AMAECHI commenced hearing yesterday. The commission opened its investigation after a State High Court dismissed a suit filed by AMAECHI challenging the action initiated by Governor NYESOM WIKE. In his opening address; the Chairman of the panel, Justice GEORGE OMERIJI said the panel is not out to witch-hunt any individual and would give fair hearing to all parties.

Justice OMEREJI said the panel is working on a twenty-three–point terms of reference, which include identifying sold assets, identify beneficiaries and determine process of recovery of such assets. Correspondent VICTOR EZEAMA reports that the former Commissioner for Agriculture, EMMA CHINDA who was invited to offer explanations over a four-billion naira agricultural loan failed to appear before the panel.

However; the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, SOTONYE ATARI-OKOYE presented himself for cross-examination by members of probe panel. ATARI-OKOYE revealed that former governor, ROTIMI AMAECHI approved the sum of three billion naira for the agricultural credit scheme and not four billion naira, as had been widely speculated. She said an excess of two point nine million naira was disbursed to different mother co-operative societies as approved by the former Commissioner of Agriculture, EMMA CHINDA.

Also speaking; the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics in the Ministry of Agriculture, CHIJIOKE AMADI said more than two thousand co-operative and agro-allied societies benefitted from the grant. AMADI who also served as Chairman of the Agriculture Credit Committee told the panel that the selection of the beneficiaries was done at the discretion of the commissioner at the time.

Our correspondent reports that the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, CORDELIA MORRIS-PETERSIDE was also cross-examined on the registration of co-operative societies that benefited from the agricultural grant. The interrogation by the panel is in respect to a memo before it which indicates that most of the mother co-operative societies that benefited from the grant were allegedly linked to past caretaker chairmen of the twenty three local government areas of the state.

Correspondent VICTOR EZEAMA reports that commission to the counsel, ZACHEUS ADANGOR asked the panel to order the appearance of the former commissioner, EMMA CHINDA.

 

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