Trouble for Wike, Others as Top Organisation Issues 7 Days Ultimatum Over Public Funds
- All the governors in the nine oil-producing states across the country have been asked to make public their spending on the oil derivation refunds
- The use of the money which was recently paid by the Nigerian government should be made available to the Nigerian public
- According to SERAP, making public how the fund was used promotes accountability, and openness and builds trust between the people and their leaders
PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Legit.ng News on your Facebook News Feed!
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the nine oil-producing states in Nigeria to publicly provide details of spending of the oil derivation refunds of N625bn recently paid to them by the Federal Government.
SERAP also urged the governors of the states to provide details and locations of projects executed with the money made available to them.
Source: Twitter
A statement signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP's deputy director said is in the public interest to publish the details of spending of the refunds.
Oluwadare noted that Nigerians have the right to know how their states are spending the refunds. It is part of their legally enforceable human rights.
The Nigerian government had recently paid N625.43 billion as oil derivation refunds to the governors of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Ondo, Imo and Cross River states.
The payments by the Nigerian government made up for the 13 per cent oil derivation, subsidy and SURE-P refunds dating from 1999 to 2021.
Oluwaders said that governors' effort in publishing details of the spending of the refunds will show an example that people saddled with public responsibilities are answerable to the people for the performance of their duties in the management of public funds.
His words:
“SERAP urges you to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to jointly track and monitor the spending of the oil derivation refunds by your state.
“SERAP also urges you to provide details of the transparency and accountability mechanisms that have been put in place to ensure that the derivation refunds are not mismanaged, diverted or re-stolen.”
Presidency releases details of refunds to oil-producing region, states that got largest share revealed
Nine oil-producing states received N625.43bn as 13 per cent oil derivation, subsidy, and SURE-P refunds from the Federation Account in two years.
Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu made this known in a statement released on Friday, December 2, amid the allegations of misuse of the funds by the state governors.
The statement was released after Wike acknowledged that he received the refunds, revealed what he used the money for and challenged his colleagues to show what they used theirs for.
13% derivation refunds: Governor Wike challenges Okowa, others to show their projects
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, attacked his counterpart in the Niger Delta region over the 13% derivation arrears that the Buhari administration paid.
Wike challenged the vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ifeanyi Okowa, and other governors in the Niger Delta region to commission projects for three weeks as he has done.
The PDP leader said rather than criticising President Buhari, the likes of Okowa, Godwin Obaseki of Edo and Udom Emmanuel.
Source: Legit.ng
