The group through its lawyer, Abigail O. Ojosa Esq., on 30th October 2020, in a petition titled: ” A Passionate Request for a Comprehensive Detail of the Monthly Allocation to Delta State Government From the Federal Account from June 2015 till Date”, is seeking to know how much has been given to the state since the inception of the Okowa’s administration in 2015.
The group expressed concern over high purported poverty rate and suffering by Deltans occasioned by financial irregularities and poor governance.
According to the petition, “Our clients are much concerned and disheartened with the rate of abject poverty and untold hardship of the state indigenes, resulting from the mismanagement of the state funds and bad governance.
“It is a known fact that all States of the federation receive a certain amount from the federal government as monthly allocation, of which Delta state is not exempted, and this money is meant for the smooth running and development of the state.
“However, in Delta State this money does not circulate as most communities are yet to be developed while the indigenes wallow in abject poverty”.
The group believe that Delta State receive 13% Derivation as well, which is a monthly allocation to the oil producing communities in the Niger Delta from the federation account, pointing out that it was done to redress the ugly situation of neglect in the Niger Delta region through a process of enhanced funding and development by the federal government and was fortunately enshrined in section 162(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
While seeking for the cooperation of the Accountant General’s office, the petitioners said: “The office of the Accountant General of the federation through the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFNIS), is enabled to access information on financial and operational performance, government cash position and economic performance and also controls, prevent and detect potential and actual fraud”.
While invoking the Freedom of Information Act (FoI Act) pursuant to Section 1&2(2), DLM requested for a comprehensive detail of how much has been given or allocated to Delta State government from the month of June 2015 till date through the 13% Derivation as monthly allocation to Oil Producing Communities in Niger Delta, Paris Club Refund, Ecological Funds, Returned Abacha loot and all other monies given to Delta State government from 2015 till date.
In a similar development, the group headed by Hon. Christian Moses Abeh and Hon. Gabriel Omamuzu, had also petitioned the Director General, Debt Management office, seeking to know the debt profile of the state from September 2015 till date.
According to the petition, “As a federal government agency saddled with the responsibility to make public, debt management a visible instrument for growth, development and poverty reduction, maintain public debt sustainability, as well as sustaining a comprehensive reliable and efficient national and sub-national debt database and ensuring prompt and accurate settlement of debt service obligation”.
The petitioners said they need clarification on the issue and possible solution, alleging that the state has incurred some debt outside the state which has incapacitated the financial growth of the state.
“Therefore, they most humbly request your office for a review and a comprehensive profile of all debts owed by the State to the federal government and outside the federation, from the month of September 2015 till date”, the petition added.
