Mrs Ibim Semenitari, the publisher of the Business Eye Magazine, was Commissioner for Information in Rivers State during the administration of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi and was also former acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). In this interview by Deputy Editor DAPO FALADE, she speaks on the allegations raised by Governor Nyesom Wike against his immediate predecessor and on her foray into the public space, among other issues.
You are turning 50 tomorrow. How has the journey been so far?
Well, it has its moment, but it has all been a good time to be thankful really. All I feel is a sense of thankfulness. Most of us turning 50 now were born in the thick of the Nigerian Civil War and not all of our mates are alive today; many have gone with that war. Even if you don’t start on the premise of that, we got really to be thankful. We didn’t die of bullet, bomb, malnutrition and many other things and God has kept us thus far. I have a loving family, extended and nuclear; I have been blessed with wonderful children, good parents, grandparents and many great opportunities. When you really think about it, you cannot ask for more. I don’t have a crowd of friends but the few that I have are true and better and when you think about this, you will know that you have been truly blessed. I have also been blessed with so many other children who call me mum; they are not really my children but they have, in the true sense of it, have become part and parcel of my family.
What is your growing up years like?
Where do I start from? I grew up in a very loving atmosphere; I felt loved by my parents, grandparents and extended family. I grew up knowing a lot of love and shelter. Those are the memories that I could remember about my childhood; I didn’t feel any difference growing up with my uncles and aunties; as long as I come in, a lot of my uncles and aunties are always there for me and I was kind of a grandchild whom my grandparents dotted on; I was like a doll-baby for most of my parents’ siblings. Thinking about it, I had a very strong support structure.
Being part of a government, and having been an advocate of environmental justice, what were you able to do to curb the excesses of the oil companies, re-orientating the mindset of the people and influencing the politicians positively to look into the interest of the people and the state?
The first thing I did when this offer came was to say former Governor Rotimi Amaechi, ‘Thank you, but there are some things that underpinned my work and the first thing is an open government. If I am going to be the Commissioner for Information, I am a proponent of access to information, you will guarantee that yours will be an open government.’ So, abnitio, before I even came on board, it was important to me that the things that are critical in a democracy are put in place and I must admit that the former governor agreed with me. As the Rivers State Commissioner for Information, I stand to be corrected but the Rivers State government was the first to have an open government forum. From then on, those were the kinds of influences that I could bring on board; influence of access to government; influence of engagement with the people of Rivers State.
We were not perfect, but did we do something different in terms of openness of government and in terms of access to information at every point in time? We did and so, one of the issues that has to do with opaqueness of governance we took away. If there is one thing Amaechi can be accused of, it is that of demystifying governance. That, for me, is critical for my role as the Commissioner for Information.
How did you get the NDDC job; probably through your links and connections…(cuts in)
I had no clue. I was in Abonema the day Governor Amaechi called me and asked, ‘where are you?” I said I was in Abonema and he said, “Come down to Abuja” I didn’t have anything with me but I just said okay sir and I went straight from there to the airport and to Abuja. When I got there, I said, “Sir, you sent for me” and he said, “Yes, you are going to be announced. President Muhammadu Buhari has signed a letter appointing you as the acting MD of NDDC”. And I said me? And he said yes and I said okay sir. Quite frankly, by the time I finished as the Commissioner for Information in 2015, I had started preparation back to the newsroom. I didn’t lobby for anything or NDDC. For me, I thought that God has been quite gracious and I was thankful to Him and the likes of Governor Amaechi for giving me the opportunity to serve the people of Rivers State.
At a point in time, fingers were pointed at your administration. Can you clear the air on your activities as the acting MD of NDDC?
I don’t know whether they were pointing fingers at my administration or whether they were asking why it wasn’t an Akwa Ibom State person that was appointed as the acting MD. I think that was what it was. It was quite interesting because an NDDC MD in acting capacity didn’t have to be an Akwa Ibom person because I was very aware of the law; that I was there in acting capacity to straighten things out and then the Akwa Ibom people will come over and continue their slot, having been cut short by two years. It wasn’t going to be the first time. I was the first acting MD of the commission and I don’t think it is the practice, but once an acting MD has been appointed during a new administration, they needed time and then they would then announce the substantive MD. Anyway, the whole of that is over because a substantive MD has been appointed.
But I don’t know if there were fingers pointed at my administration. It was possible, but I don’t know and the reason is quite clear in terms of the fact that everything we did were quite transparent. For the first time in the 17 years history of the commission, the NDDC Act provides that there should be a quarterly report to be sent to Mr President by the commission. I was the first MD to do that: I did not only send to Mr President, but I also sent the quarterly report to every minister from the nine Niger Delta states. I also sent the report to the Federal Ministry of Information, sent to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and uploaded on the NDDC website for the period I was in the saddle. It showed what we received; it showed what we spent; it showed who we have paid; it showed the jobs that were ongoing and it showed the level of completion of jobs. We were quite transparent in our administration. We also tried to put structures in place. The account of the commission was not audited for years. But while I was the acting MD, we audited the account up till 2015. I left the commission on November 7, 2016.
Did you find anything incriminating or implicating in the audited account, especially as it affects your immediate predecessor?
The audits are the documents of the commission and they are available for any journalist or reporter who is interested. But the fact of it anyway is that, were there issues in terms of administration, transparency or conduct? Those are the things we should be talking about. Yes, we have issues in terms of completion of contracts; we have some poor records in the past of how contracts have been abandoned, among others. But for me, again, this is the way I see it: government is a continuum. It is a musical chair; you get in there and you do the work that you are supposed to do and try to change what you can. I identified and I had seen what the challenges and loopholes were: When was the procurement done?; What was the quality of jobs done? This was why we then went ahead to have the Project Management Manual so that if you are doing any project, the commission must go through some particular processes.
We went ahead and met with COREN and began with the process of the Standardization Manual so that we can have what we called the NDDC Standard. And we wanted that standard to be higher than what obtains at the Federal Ministry of Works of the Shell standard. How do I mean? The commission came up with a standard manual and we gave it to COREN for Peer Group Review and approval. Thereafter, every engineer in the commission would have to abide by it and if they are not measuring up, then they would be sanctioned by COREN. This is because we have found that the only way to deal with these issues was by setting up structures that would actually ensure that those standards were carried out. There were gaps which were identified and what we tried to do was how to improve on them.
You earlier described the Amaechi administration in Rivers State as an open government. To what extent can you defend your assertion in terms of transparency and accountability?
In several ways: The first is that, and like I said earlier, the budget of the Amaechi government was never a hidden document. You could see the budget; you know what was happening; you know what was apportioned for whom and for what. And every year after the governor had presented the budget, we would engage the media; open it up for them to ask us questions on how the previous budget performed. Indeed, if you go and check, we uploaded the budget and you will know by what percentage each sector performed. We did not hide that and the media had access to him.
In addition to that, is the fact it was not just the media: we also had regular Town Hall meetings and regular engagements with various professional bodies. When we wanted to carry out sectorial reports, we meet with the stakeholders in the sectors. So, we did those kinds of things and, basically, they kept government open so that we can interact and that is what participatory democracy is all about: it is all about the openness of the government.
How would you juxtapose this with the allegations made against the former governor by his successor, Governor NyesomWike, especially on the proceeds of the sale of the power plants, the Karibe White Specialist Hospital and the disbursement of the N1billion monthly saving?
One of the things that is very clear was that all of these are issues that Governor Amaechi had discussed at Town Hall meetings with Rivers people. For instance, the people took him up on the Karibe White Specialist Hospital project and he was very open about it. In fact, even when they had to arrest the man who was handling the Clinotech Project; the day Governor Amaechi wanted to go and inspect the place, he went with the media and he didn’t know what he would find. He was not satisfied with what he saw and ordered an audit into the project. The man was arrested.
I don’t have the details about the Karibe White Specialist Hospital project. The right person you should talk with is the former Commissioner for Health, Dr Sampson Parker. He will be able to give you all the facts about the project, but I am sure that he put out the facts to the media then. I also recalled that Dr Parker and the governor spoke with the people about the issue then.
Except one is being mischievous, there is none of those issues that Governor Wike will pretend not to have knowledge of. This is most especially because one of the good things about the Amaechi government was that everything that was done, it got to the State Executive Council (SEC) and the current governor was a member of the exco. Though he was there as an observer, he was in the exco and he was part of those conversations. In fact, he was an integral part of the Amaechi administration; I was not even a commissioner by the time he was there. So, I may not have all the details but all the decisions were taken to the exco. He, Governor Wike, was the Chief of Staff at a time and he probably had more details about the Clinotech Project because I know that, as a habit, nothing was done that did not come to SEC.
What precisely happened to the proceeds of the power plants and the N1billion monthly savings?
That is not a matter that I can answer. You know why? The proceeds of the power plants, I know, was taking into an account, but the details of the account into which it was taking, I don’t have. On that, you will have to speak with the Commissioner for Finance in the Amaechi administration because that was not within my purview and it was not under my direct responsibility.
You cleared the former governor of any corrupt allegation, can you give a further explanation on the N1billion monthly savings and how it was spent?
When you say I cleared, I am not a court of law, but I am speaking about what I know. The N1 billion was supposed to be saving that was coming from a windfall. Don’t forget that law was put in place at a time when the state was getting up to N20 billion-N22 billion a month. After our oil wells were taken away and all of that, the monthly allocation to the state, at a point, took a dip to almost N7billion and salaries alone were at N9billion. The then governor of Rivers State went to the House of Assembly to seek the approval to break the savings. That approval was given by the state House of Assembly. So, he did not just go and break the savings.
Don’t forget that the essence of the saving was a Rainy Day Fund. So, savings were broken for two reasons; to pay salaries and to pay contractors’ debts for all the infrastructure works that were going on. Those things were clearly spelt out to the state legislature. I remember that the state House of Assembly wanted to know what the savings would be used for and it was given all the necessary information and approval was given that enabled them to break the savings. However, because I am not the one in charge of government spending, I cannot tell you what was left and what was given. But that information I can always get for you.
Exactly how much was saved?
This is part of the specifics which I cannot tell you, but which you can only get from the then Commissioner for Finance. I will try as much as possible to get him for you, but you know he is no longer in the country. I will try to reach him. But the fact is that this was what happened.
But Governor Wike also at a point alleged that his predecessor used the proceeds from the sale of the power plants and the monthly savings to fund the APC presidential election campaign in 2015…
That is the greatest lie from the pit of hell. I am sure that any reporter who was in Rivers State at that time was aware when Governor Amaechi went to the state House of Assembly to seek its approval to use that money. All these things are on record but I think the problem is that we people don’t like checking the records. If we go back and check the records, I am sure you will see what the monies were to be used for. These things are not hidden.
As for the proceeds from the power plants, I will also see if I can reach the former Commissioner for Finance. But the money was paid into the state coffers. That much I can tell you for now.
There is this issue threatening to tear apart the soul of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State. It has to do with the face-off between former Governor Amaechi and his once-upon-a-time ally, Senator Magnus Abe. What do you think is really happening over there?
My personal view, honestly, is that as long as it is an intra-party matter, it will be settled; as long as it is a matter between two persons who have worked together at some point, I don’t think it can break down so irretrievably and that it cannot be resolved. I believe that this matter can be resolved and my worry really is about those who are fanning the embers. I think both parties should just try and ignore this set of people. You know it happens; two people who are not really planning to fight are quarreling outside. Some few people will come to the scene and start worsening the matter, instead of being peace-makers. At the end of the day, some of the conflicts we see are conflicts occasioned by the people outside there.
But were you not surprised or disappointed that things could degenerate to this level between this two major actors in Rivers politics?
I will not use the word, disappointed. What I will say is that, I do not think things have broken down irretrievably. I think that between both of them, the matter can be settled and I don’t see why not, after all, they are dragging wives now. Governor Amaechi is not trying to be governor again and Senator Abe is not trying to be the Minister of Transportation…
But it appears Amaechi is trying to stop Abe from becoming the governor…
Are sure that that is the fact of the matter?
That is what the Senator Abe camp is claiming…
He may have reasons to claim that. Honestly, this is what I do as a policy: if I am not a pat of a matter, I try not to deduce.
But there are statements issued from his press office to that effect…
Very well, but you know what? I have also tried not to rely on press statements. This is because only the two people involved can tell you what the issues are. Only Abe and Amaechi can explain the details. Anything anybody else says is a third party information and there would be things that would not be mentioned in that conversation. So, honestly, I would rather not talk about what I do not have proper information on. This has always been my policy: I must have the full picture to engage and I believe that between both of them, they will surely resolve the matter.
Did your being an appointee give you a more financial leverage to enhance your profession as a journalist?
What financial leverage? As a government appointee, I was only earning my salary.
You mean there were no other perks beside your salary?
Yes, I was earning just my salary. I didn’t do any government contract. You can go and check this claim. My job was only to go and earn my salary and get my allowances. Because I was the Commissioner for Information, I travelled a lot with my Oga and this enhanced my allowances. But is life all about money? Is all predicated on money? It even depends on what your values in life are. Being in government, you will make impact, yes. Also being a journalist, you make impact. I feel that really, we will not be hungry as journalists; it depends on what your needs are, honestly. Except you want to steal government money, I don’t think public service should make you rich. It didn’t make me rich and I doubt if it will make anybody rich, except the person wants to devise some other means to steal money that is not his.
For most parts of your 50 years of existence, you have been a public person. How were you able to manage your public life along with your home?
I couldn’t really know if I did. Did I manage anything? I keep saying it that I have a phenomenon solid family support structure from parents, siblings, aunts and uncles; honestly, my family has been my strongest support base. My children are amazing. As for my husband, there are not many men that can deal with a wife being in the public glare. I think I must hand him some laurels for that because not many men are able to deal with that. It takes a very confident man not to mind that this is his wife in the public space and I think I am lucky to marry a man that is confident enough not to feel threatened by the fact that I am in the public space.
At 50, will you say you are fulfilled?
At 50, I am thankful; I am just thankful. This is because as long as you are alive, there will always be one more thing that you will want to do. I am still a work in progress and I am still painting the colours of my life. In all, I am just thankful because God has been extremely gracious and good to me.