Victor Bieni Reporting , Asaba
Renowned Niger-Delta Environmental Rights Activist & Peace Advocate, Comrade Chief Sheriff Mulade, has said that the moves by Delta State Oil & Gas Producing Communities to recover the alleged missing N330B DESSOPADEC’s money as 13% derivation funds meant to develop the state has no political colouration rather for the benefits of Deltans as representatives drag Delta State former Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan and Sen. Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa to court.
Our reporter learnt this today being Thursday, July 6, 2023 in a telephone conversation with the National Coordinator, Centre For Peace And Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), Comrade Chief Sheriff Mulade as he reacted to the media questions on the motives, if the moves were politically motivated by the stakeholders of Oil producing Communities from different ethnic Nationalities to take legal action against former Governors of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan & Sen. Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa.
Recall that Delta state High Court sitting in Warri on Tuesday commenced hearing of the 13% derivation suit against the two Delta former Governors Uduaghan and Okowa. The case was instituted by Oil and Gas Communities of Delta State led by Comrade Chief Sheriff Mulade. He had recently mobilized Oil & Gas Producing Communities to protest at the EFCC office in Abuja. A development he urged political detractors not to weep political sentiments nor read meanings, colouration as the move is for the interest of all Deltans.
In his words: “The case was instituted by angry Oil and Gas Producing Communities of Delta State led me as we seek the stewardship of the money which ought to have been used for the development of the state.
“The reasons why the residents of the state instituted the case against the two former Governors, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, DESOPADEC and Attorney General of the State at High Court, Warri is for us stakeholders, citizens to get the interpretation of Section 162 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Section 13 (1) of the DESOPADEC Law 2006 (as amended) 2007, 2015 and 2018 respectively, and for them to account for over N1.8 trillion Naira of 13% oil derivation funds to oil producing communities of the state.
“During the court section on the 4th of July, 2023 at the High Court, Warri other representatives of Itsekiri, Ndokwa and Isoko Ethnic Nationalities filed to join the suit seeking interpretation and accountability of 50% of 13% oil derivation fund to Delta State under former Governors, Dr Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan and Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa.
” I recently mobilized Oil and Gas Producing Communities in the State to the Headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja, imploring the commission to investigate and recover their missing and misappropriated funds back to DESOPADEC to enable the state commission carried out developmental projects in the host communities. The immediate past commissioner for information, Mr Charles Aniagwu confirmed to Arise TV that former Governor Okowa remitted only N208billion against 538,725,142,776.085.
“Over 330bn Naira of oil and gas producing Communities of the state is missing, hence the demand for accountability and stewardship. We are not going to be distracted by hired political sycophancy, who are trying to bring political colouration and other primordial sentiments to instigate the gullible public to undermine the genuine demands to know how our resources are being spent. We are for accountability and transparency and we are prepared to use our last drop of blood to fight for a better deal for our suffering people who are supposed to be enjoying the funds from their natural resources.
“It is worthy of note that what we are fighting for is to recover our missing funds and equally free the state from the claws of the immediate past Governor Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa to enable our amiable Governor, His Excellency, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration to be independent and deliver on his electoral mandate and promises to Deltans through his M.O.R.E Agenda.
“It is unfortunate to state that based on available records, our dynamic Governor Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori met an empty treasury and some of the Delta State Accounts have less than a billion naira which has forced the state government to borrow a huge sum of money in less than one month in office under the guise of settling local government pensioners in the state. We in court on the matter. The court has adjoined till 24th October 2023 for the continuation of a further hearing.”
