•Lauds Udom Emmanuel’s judicious use of released funds
By Lateef Ibrahim Abuja
A coalition of good governance groups, under the umbrella of Akwa-Ibom Professionals, has faulted claims by the River State Governor, Mr ,Nyesom Wike on payment made to lithora states by the Federal Government from the 13 percent accruable derivation funds.
The group pointed out that Wike was wrong to have asserted that the Federal Government has paid the full arrears of 13% Derivation owed to States of the South-South region since 1999.
Rather, the Akwa Ibom Professionals explained that only about 15% of the funds accruable to the States have been paid.
The coalition equally hailed the Akwa-Ibom State Governor, Mr Emmanuel Udom for judicious and transparent use of funds paid his State on tangible development projects that have continued to transform the State in key sectors of life.
The National Coordinator of the Coalition, Engr. Ufot Akan Umoren, in a statement at the end of its Stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Monday, said that Governor Wike did not get his claims right.
According to Umoren, “Governor Wike, perhaps inadvertently, misrepresented facts regarding the payment of 13% Derivation to oil producing State. It is therefore important to state the facts the way they are and not subject such very sensitive issues to politics.
“Contrary to claims by Governor Wike, available records show the Federal Government has not paid any 23 years arrears but only ten months installments in line with the Order of Court to liquidate the arrears ‘in sixty equal monthly installments’ and disbursed to states “quarterly, the first quarter being February to April 2022.
“What this means is that only 10 months out of the 60 monthly installments have been paid with the remaining 50 months yet to be paid”.
The Coalition however commended Governor Emmanuel for the judicious use of funds paid to Akwa Ibom State leading to unprecedented delivery of development projects in key sectors.
The group praised Governor Emmanuel feat in infrastructural development including delivering the Ikot Oku Ikono flyover, the longest in the South South region; the 21- Storey Dakkada Towers the most intelligent and 7th tallest in the nation, the tallest in the Niger Delta region, the best network of modern roads in the region while leading in rural electrification among other projects.
This is in addition to running a fleet of 5 CRJ 900 Bombardier and two Airbus A220- 300 Series, recent purchase of two brand new Airbuses to bring the Ibom Air fleet to 9 aircrafts as well as constructing the most intelligent and smartest airport terminal in the region.
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