8th July, 2011
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Rivers State chapter, has raised an alarm over the incessant harassment and levying of residents in different parts of Port Harcourt by Rivgreen, the taskforce in charge of ridding the city of refuse and waste.
A statement from the office of the publicity secretary of the ACN, and signed by the spokesman, Jerry Needam decried the reported cases of compelling residents to pay for the refuse evacuation especially in the Diobu area of the city.
Needam stated that Rivgreen as the creation of the state Ministry of Environment has no mandate to charge money or demand gratification whatsoever for carrying out their work, noting that the modality of its operations had already been fashioned out by the authorising ministry.
He described the illegal levy as portraying government in bad light and setting the people against genuine effort of government.
He therefore called for the immediate arrest of the Rivgreen zonal team leader in Diobu, Prince Igwechi Ihunwo for questioning and reprimand to serve as a deterrent to other erring agents and officials of government.
The ACN noted with disdain the nonchallant attitude of some government agents, officials and contractors who cash in on complacency of supervising ministries to sabotage meaningful projects of government, saying this must stop forthwith.
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt