Amaechi restates Cole’s pledge to establish business funds in Rivers

By Lucy Ogalue

Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has re-echoed Mr Tonye Cole’s pledge to establish a hedge fund for businesses in the state to thrive if elected governor.

Amaechi, in a statement by his media office, said this on Monday, during his door-to-door campaign for Cole, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the state,

The immediate past Transportation minister spoke while campaigning across strategic markets in Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor and Oyigbo, including Mile 1, Rumuomasi, Eliozu, Rumunduru, Steel Village, Chippings, and Timber markets.

Amaechi told the people to only vote for a governor who would care about their well-being, not those who would dance to the people’s pain.

“When I was leaving government, we left N50 billion in what they call hedge fund.

“Hedge fund allows you to borrow at low or zero interest rate to boost business for indigenes and those who live in Rivers State.

” I shared this idea with Cole, and he agreed. As soon as he is voted to power by you, we shall re-establish this hedge fund.

” It is not just to help you do business, it is also to help us create employment,” he said.

Addressing the people’s concern on whether their votes will count, Amaechi advised them to be resilient like the people of Lagos who insisted that their results must be uploaded.

He said even after the BVAS failed, the people monitored their results till it was announced at the collation centre.

“On Saturday, go out and vote. No army is stronger than the people. Stand your ground. If they don’t upload, don’t let them go.

“No INEC officer should leave your unit until he has uploaded the results and given a copy to the parties’ agent. It is called people’s power.

“If Cole (APC) wins on Saturday, things will begin to change from that day. You have a choice to decide. The power is in your votes, ’’ he said.

Amaechi said: “as I was coming to Rumuomasi, I met about five women who said I gave their children scholarships to study overseas.

“I did that because I lived where poor people like me lived, and I know the poor can’t afford to take their children abroad.

” That’s why I instituted a scholarship that took people overseas and trained them.”

He said as governor, he established free health care and health centres, knowing that the people couldn’t pay doctors, but the project had been abandoned.

According to Amaechi, we introduced N5,000 to N10,000 antenatal that we give to women to encourage them to come.

“When you cried, we cried.

“As a governor, I abolished taskforce. No marching ground. I did that because I know it is bad business to pursue business. I stopped them because I know what business is.

” A governor should know the pains of the people. He should only be happy because the people are happy,” Amaechi said.

(NAN)