The Delta State Government says it has received fourteen point nine billion naira out of the two Hundred and forty Billion Naira owed it by the Federal Government over non-deduction of 13 percent derivation fund for Oil producing states since 2004.
Commissioner For Finance in the State, Fidelis Tilije, stated this while denying media reports credited to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State that the state government had collected all the refunds without revealing it to people of the state.
Reacting on the allegation by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, where he accused Governors from South-South States including Delta of lack of accountability on the funds from the Federal Government, the Commissioner For Finance in Delta State and the Chief Press Secretary to Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, say their response is a wish to set the record straight.
The Delta State government is also frowning at the statements made by leaders of the All Progressives Congress during the Party’s Presidential and governorship campaign flag off in Warri where they talked about underdevelopment of the oil rich state by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, who is also a spokesman to the PDP Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, at the briefing reacted to all the allegations, saying the people know better.
As campaigns intensify towards next year election more accusations are expected but for the Delta state government, it advised the political Elites to focus on verifiable facts and not rumours, innuendoes or hearsay.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, had on Friday last week disclosed that the States of the Niger Delta have been paid hundreds of Billions of Naira by the Muhammadu Buhari led administration but have kept silent about the issue.
He added that the silence has ensured that the citizens of the States are not aware of the situation.
He disclosed that the refunds were the source of funding for the developmental strides of the Rivers State Government including all projects being commissioned without incurring any debt.
