Group Challenge Diri To Account For Backlog Payment Of 13% Derivation Funds From The Federal Government

Bayelsa Advocates For Governance and Accountability has described the Governor Douye Diri led Prosperity Government as a Government of zero Economic Growth, Developmental Projects and Human Capital Development with mismanagement of 13% Derivation Funds from the Federal Government, which has amounted to over N560billion since assumption in office in February, 2020, but no commensurate infrastructure in the State.

The group spokesman, Mr Perekeme Oyinkuro has challenged the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency Senator Douye Diri to account for the billions of naira received from the federation account as backlog payment for deductions of the 13% derivation funds by previous administrations since 1999, which was approved and paid by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Perekeme while addressing some newsmen in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State Capital, called on Governor Douye Diri to also account for the refunds received from the Federal Government.

Recall that the Federal Government approved the repayment of funds used by State Governors for the construction of federal roads, including the payment of 13% derivation funds deductions by previous administrations since 1999, to the nine Niger Delta states respectively, which most state governments had made proper management and utilization of the funds in carrying out developmental projects, human capital development and socio-economic investments in their respective States.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State during a live broadcast in national television stations applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the 13% derivation deductions funds withheld by previous administrations since 1999, to the nine Niger Delta States including the Rivers State, which the Rivers State Government used in embarking on developmental projects in the State, mostly the construction of nine flyovers since 2019, which has been commissioned for public use, and more three flyovers will be completed and commissioned for public use from now till February, 2023.

Successive governments had managed smaller faac disbursements, 13% oil derivation funds including internal generated revenue, but still performed tremendously in terms of improvement of key sectors of the state’s economy, infrastructure, human capital development, provision of basic social amenities, empowerment programmes etc.

The restoration government led by Henry Seriake Dickson experienced two-time economic recession in his eight years administration with a very low faac allocations, 13% oil derivation including internal generated revenue, but the restoration government stands out as the best administration in the political history of the state, in terms of infrastructure, education, healthcare, security, human capital development, employment, empowerment programmes etc.

With proper assessment of monies received by the prosperity government from the federation account in three years in comparison with some previous administrations, the prosperity government had received monies much more than some previous administrations in four years, but the prosperity government had performed poorly below previous administrations mostly in major sectors of the state’s economy.

Educational and health facilities are in a dilapidated state under the prosperity government led by Governor Douye Diri in the past three years, which major sectors of the state’s economy has been neglected and abandoned without perceiving the great need for improvement for better performance of the respective sectors. The major achievement of the prosperity government is the prompt payment of civil servants in the State.

Mr Perekeme stated that the prosperity government is relying on the legacy developmental projects of the restoration government, stressing that every project commissioned by the Prosperity Government to celebrate its one and two years anniversary were projects initiated and completed by the restoration government, adding that the prosperity administration has zero achievement in infrastructure.

He further stated that Governor Douye Diri should account for the monies he has received from the federal government in the past few years as faac allocations, 13% derivation including the payment of deductions from 13% derivation funds since 1999, which was paid to the nine Niger Delta States by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Perekeme urged Bayelsans to hold the Governor Douye Diri led prosperity administration accountable for poor performance and mismanagement of state resources despite the constant increase of monthly faac disbursements to the State. Bayelsans should come out en masse to reject Governor Douye Diri’s second tenure in 2024.