Again, Amaechi accused of converting SURE-P for selfish gains

Rivers Gov, Amaechi

The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has described as criminal and unacceptable the illegal conversion of the Federal Government’s oil Subsidy Reinvestment Programme, SURE-P to membership hunting for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The party in a statement signed by Jerry Needam, Special Adviser on Media to the State Chairman said the funds saved from the increase in the pump price of Petroleum products since 2012 are meant for the youth empowerment across the States of the federation irrespective of gender, tribe or political affiliation but regretted that Governor Amaechi rather than oblige the Rivers youths this privilege of benefiting from the programme, is using registration into the APC as a condition to benefit.

This is very unfortunate, the party remarked, asking all eligible Rivers youths to apply for the programme as of right.

According to the statement, the Government under the Amaechi administration has over the two years of the programme’s existence (January 2012 – December 2013) collected billions of naira meant to be transmitted across the rural areas to ensure an even spread but to no avail.

The party however, is not happy that all the amounts so far collected by Gov. Amaechi in this respect are mismanaged and channeled into Amaechi’s political activities.

The party notes with dismay that the identities of the beneficiaries of the programme in Rivers State are hidden.

It therefore asks Gov Amaechi to stop the illegality forthwith, and ensure that no Rivers youths are discriminated against on the basis of party membership from enjoying this federal government’s facility meant to cushion the effects of the increase in the pump price of petroleum products being suffered by all.

The party also calls on Governor Amaechi to discontinue asking Rivers people to come to government house daily under the guise of registering them for SURE-P, only to force them to register for APC.

“Those who are said to be decamping from PDP to APC, are not real PDP members. Rivers PDP membership is intact,” the PDP said.