The oil and gas producing communities in Delta State petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday to look into allegations that the state’s former governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, misappropriated over N1 trillion in oil derivation funds while in office.
The communities claimed that the money was taken from the 13% oil derivation budget, which was intended for the rehabilitation and development of Delta State’s oil-producing areas and was to be allocated 50% to the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC).
Through their spokesmen, the villages, who operate under the name Association of Oil and Gas Producing villages of Delta State, stormed the commission’s Abuja offices to make their case against the governor.
It was learned that Chief Mulade Sheriff of the Ijaw ethnic nationality, Mathew Itsekure of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality, Patience Ego Afujue of the Ndokwa ethnic nationality, Mark Ikpuri of the Urhobo ethnic nationality, and Chief John Etenero of the Isoko ethnic nationality all signed the petition.
After submitting the petition, Chief Mulade Sheriff spoke to reporters on behalf of the communities and claimed that the previous governor had illegally transferred the aforementioned amount. He also urged the anti-graft organisation to look into Okowa’s administration in depth.
The petition read in parts: “We are leaders and representatives of oil and gas producing Communities of Delta State. We wish to draw the attention of the general public, particularly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to the illegal diversion of our entitlement from the 13% derivation funds.
“We are indigenes and members of the Oil and Gas Producing Communities in Delta State and it’s on this strength we are drawing the attention of your office in respect of the flagrant and deliberate abuse of Section 162 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and section 13 (1) of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) Law of 2006 (as amended), 2007, 2015 and 2018 established to cater for the wellbeing of the Oil and Gas Producing Communities in Delta State.
“It is imperative to state that the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) Law 2006 (as amended), 2007, 2015 and 2018 respectively was established to expressly execute a clear mandate as stated in Section 13(1) of the DESOPADEC Law.”
The group said, “From the records available to us upon an application to the Office of the Accountant- General of the Federation for a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the 13% oil derivation fund from the Federation Account to the Delta State Government between 2015-2022, the sum of N1,077,450,285,552.17, has been disbursed to the Delta State Government from July 2015 to December 2022, for the Rehabilitation and Development of the oil Producing Communities/Areas in Delta State. In fact what Okowa received is far more than N1,077,450,285,552.17 if the 13% monthly allocations of January 2023 to May 2023 are added.
“It is very disheartening and callous to note that despite the copious and unambiguous provisions of Section 162 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Section 13 (1) of the DESOPADEC Law of 2006 (as amended), 2007, 2015 and 2018 respectively, the immediate past Governor of Delta State His Excellency Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa has deliberately and flagrantly abused, violated and breached the above provisions of the Law and had continued to misappropriate the said funds for his personal use at the expense of the suffering people of the Oil and Gas Producing Communities in Delta State.”