Figures obtained from the Ministry of Finance and National Bureau of Statistics clearly show how Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has continued to execute his plan to finally kill and bury DESOPADEC and deprive the oil producing area of the state for which purpose the 13% derivation fund is being released by the federal government on a monthly basis. Gov. Okowa was sworn in on May 29, 2015 and had collected the 13% percent derivation fund from the federal government for exactly 18 months (i.e, from May 2015 to November, 2016). The figures are as follows:
N
May 2015: 5,678,355,659.46
Jun. “ 7,942,766,985.64
Jul. “ 6,922,177,277.79
Aug. “ 6,209,611,916.47
Sep. “ 6,597,077,500,30
Oct. “ 6,852,489,946.21
Nov. “ 5,957,285,179.40
Dec. “ 6,484,943,998.60
Jan. 2016: 6,871,247,082.95
Feb. “ 5,728,691,450.54
Mar. “ 6,249,837,660.14
Apr. “ 5,373,451,196.92
May. “ 3,105,389,980.98
Jun. “ 2,807,735,938.10
Jul. “ 2,802,782,410.04
Aug. “ 2,118,119,870.27
Sep. “ 3,849,685,588.90
Oct. “ 2,555,294,615.70
Nov. “ 3,103,159,748.09
———————-
Grand Total 97,210,131,006.30
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(Ninety seven billion, two hundred and ten million, one hundred and thirty-one thousand,
Six naira and thirty kobo only).
Fifty per cent (50%) of the above total amount so far collected by Gov. Okowa which amount to N48,605,065,503.10 ought to have accrued to DESOPADEC for the development of the oil producing areas of the state for which purpose the federal government releases the 13% derivation fund to the state monthly.
Query:
1). Has DESOPADEC received this amount since Okowa became governor of the state? If yes, where are the projects executed and completed in the oil producing areas to account for this amount during the period under review? If no, why would Okowa be allowed to hold back to himself the 50% of the 13 percent derivation fund due to the oil producing communities?
2). Why is Okowa diverting money meant for the development of oil producing areas of the state that bear the burden of environmental degradation and pollution due to oil exploration, to fund Asaba Capital Development Commission?
Point of Information:
1). Sources from the Commission confirm that 2015 budget of DESOPADEC was never funded and executed. 2016 budget that was passed by the House of Assembly was hijacked by the governor and kept away in his drawer till now.
2). Information has it that for the past one and half years, DESOPADEC has not been managed with a budget. At the end of every month, it is alleged that Gov. Okowa invites the Managing Director, Chief Makinde and the Executive Director of Finance, Mr. Askia Ogie to his office where he hands over to them a few millions of naira for salary and diesel for generators. Our source said that the governor on rare occasions release about four to five million naira as imprest to the MD and Executive Director of Finance.
Point of Observation:
1). For the past one and half years, it is alleged that no new project has been commenced by the Commission neither an existing project recommenced.
2). The backlog of debt owed contractors which the governor promised to release money for the Commission to pay are still outstanding.
3). HOSTCOM under the leadership of one Dr. Ogedegbe which planned to protest the neglect of the Commission and the oil producing areas of the state have sealed their mouths after they were invited to Asaba by the governor and allegedly bribed with N5 million.
4). Recently, staff of the Commission staged a protest in the Warri headquarter office of the Commission demanding for the payment of their December allowances. Rather than protest the under-funding of the Commission and the absence of development projects in the oil producing areas, the staff chose to lock up offices because of Christmas bonuses. What a shame!
