Amaechi: I’ll soon go on vacation… and I’ll also have a medical checkup

Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, says he will soon embark on a 10-day vacation.

Dismissing the reports that President Muhammadu Buhari is ill, Amaechi told Arise TV that he did not believe that Buhari’s medical history should be discussed.

Buhari is currently holidaying in the UK, where he is also expected to undergo medical checkups, and this has raised concerns on the president’s health.

But Amaechi said when he commences his own vacation, he will also undergo medical checkups.

“Last Sunday, the president stood for one hour; if he was not fit, he would have collapsed,” he said.

“I do not think we should discuss president’s medical history. What are we worrying about? I will soon go for 10 days’ vacation, during which I will go for medical check-up.”

He said the current administration has the plans to develop the Niger Delta, and that it would not be done by “sharing money to political elite” as was done in the past.

“The conversation on Niger Delta is ongoing; recently, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo was in Niger Delta to continue with the dialogue. And President Buhari is committed to resolving the issues,” he said.

“But, unlike in the past, where the political elite were interfacing with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Presidential Amnesty Office and sharing money met for the development of the region, we will invest in infrastructure development and capacity building in the area.”

Amaechi also gave reason for the present economic recession in the country, saying it was largely caused by the corruption of the past government.

“We are in recession because when former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, was leaving office, he left $68 billion in foreign reserve,” he said.

“What happened to the $68 billion? Don’t forget we were in recession in 2009; we have forgotten that the then President Yar’Adua had to go to excess crude account to take a billion dollars every month to fund the economy.

“By the time Yar’Adua died, about $48 billion was left in the excess crude account. They said the Governors’ Forum said they should share the money; fine. They should also ask why the governors said they should share the money.

“At that time we used to hold monthly economic council meeting. The constitution says there must be at least one economic council meeting every month. Under the watch of former President Goodluck Jonathan, they stopped the meeting.

“Do you know why they stopped it? Because any time we come for the meeting, $48 billion will come down to $47 billion and when we ask, they will tell us the President said they should use it.”