RIVERS Government has directed the immediate closure of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) company jetty at the Eastern By-Pass axis of Port Harcourt and the one on Bonny Island, Rivers State.

This is sequel to alleged refusal of the NLNG to allow international visitors, particularly delegates of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association currently meeting in Port Harcourt, to use the jetties.

The government directive is coming, as pressure is reportedly being put Governor Rotimi Amaechi to rescind the decision not to run for governor in 2012.

Although he has clarified his position on second term in office, describing the report as "taking his statement out of context," he has never known since then, as he has been bombarded by phone call, text messages and delegations from politicians within and outside the State.

A statement by the state Commissioner for Transport, Mr. George Tolofari, indicated that the state government gathered that what informed the company's reasons for not allowing the whites to use the jetties was because "they are considered unsafe for whites or Caucasians."

However, the NLNG management refuted the government claim last night. Its Manager, Corporate Communication, Mr. Ifeanyi Mbanefo, spoke to The Guardian on the phone.

He said that the Rivers State House of Assembly, as part of its activities for the conference, made request that they wanted to take their delegates to Bonny as one of the places to be visited.

He disclosed that while the Assembly applied for the conveyance of 80 people, about 200 people arrived at the jetty, without the extra 120 names appearing on the company's manifest.

And among these 200 people were about five white men whose names were not also on the manifest.

And the boat handlers insisted that anybody, whose name did not appear on the manifest, would not enter the boat, according the firm's policy.

However, Mbanefo said the company offered to fly to Bonny by helicopter those who could not entered the boat; and because the white men are among those whose names were not on the manifest, they had to travel by chopper.

But according to him, the Rivers State contingent protested. "This is what happened," he said.

However, as fallout of the company's action, the government clamped down on its jetties.

Part of the Commissioner's statement reads: "NLNG operates a discriminatory policy that insists that Caucasians or Whites are not allowed to use the Jetty, and are carried by helicopter, while Black people are only to use the jetties.

"Government is informed that their reason was because the jetties are considered unsafe for Whites or Caucasians.

"The Rivers State Government places equal value on all lives, regardless of colour, race or creed, and would not be a party to any form of discrimination against any person or foreign national in the state as a result of colour, race or creed."

The commissioner added that, "for reasons of public safety, therefore, the NLNG Jetties are hereby closed, while an Integrity Test is to be conducted by the State Ministry of Transport on all structural faculties of NLNG Jetties in Port Harcourt and Bonny Island."

The statement said the jetties would remain closed and sealed until further notice, warning that anybody caught violating the closure order would be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the Law.

In the interim, politicians have commenced a pilgrimage to the House, Port Harcourt, to urge, and even cajole, Amaechi to declare that he would run for governor in 2012.

As the governor told The Guardian in an exclusive interview, "I am already under pressure from politicians. I can give you my phone to read some text messages. An ambassador sent me a text, accusing me of saying that I won't go for a second term.

"He (ambassador) said he used to have a lot of respect for me, but when he heard that I am not running for a second term, he was disappointed. There was a text from another young man, saying I shouldn't say that."