Rivers people to Buhari: Pay us 13% derivation directly, not to governor

- Some communities in Rivers have written a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari asking him to stop paying 13% oil derivation to the state government

- The communities claimed that despite the fact that the state received N7 trillion since 2000, nothing is on ground in their areas to show development

- They want Buhari to pay the money directly to them as stipulated in the constitution

Some communities hosting oil and gas in Rivers have written a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari demanding that the 13% derivation accruing to them should henceforth be paid to them directly rather than to the state government.

The communities said despite the fact that the state had received about N7 trillion since 2000 as derivation, the people still live in abject poverty while the areas remain underdeveloped.

Signed by the chairman, Jasper Amahi; secretary, Isaac Igomaha and public relations officer, Iginiwari Fidelis; on behalf of the communities, the letter urged Buhari to start paying it directly in line with the 1999 constitution.

"It is regrettable, therefore, that nothing and we mean nothing practically has been done to ameliorate and better the lives of the poor and downtrodden masses living in abject poverty amid plenty which have made Nigeria thick," the letter said.

The communities lamented that it is the level of decadence in the areas that have encouraged youth restiveness because most of these oil and gas producing villages and towns lack basic amenities.

“It is ironic and a paradox that what is a blessing to the Nigerian government and other Nigerians is a curse to us who are suffering the brunt of oil production indeed.

“It is on record that River state since 2000 has collected over N7 trillion as 13% derivation fund but there is poverty and crime.

“This is because of the high-level of impoverishment and total embezzlement of the funds meant for the development of the oil and gas-bearing communities of River state," the letter read.

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Legit.ng earlier reported that the national president of Southern Youth Development Commission (SYDC), Bassey James, recently lamented the role of corruption in the underdevelopment of the Niger Delta.

James also lamented the corruption in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) before the appointment of Godswill Akpabio as the minister.

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Source: Legit.ng