The governments of Akwa Ibom, Edo, Bayelsa and Delta states have refused to disclose the specific projects they executed with parts of the 13% derivation arrears paid to them by the federal government, Daily Trust Saturday reports.
This is as the Presidency on Friday said nine oil-producing states received a total of N625.43 billion 13 percent oil derivation, subsidy and SURE-P refunds from the Federation Account in the last two years, 2021-2022.
The states include; Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers.
Most of the oil rich state governors have been under scrutiny following a revelation by their counterpart in Rivers, Nyesom Wike, who said that President Muhammadu Buhari approved and paid the arrears to them, saying he used the amount accrued to his state for the projects being inaugurated by prominent personalities.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement yesterday said the outstanding amount to be released to the nine states stood at N1.1 trillion.
Wike, who hailed Buhari for approving payment of funds owed Niger Delta states since 1999, said the money has been the major source of infrastructural development under his administration.
Since the day he made the statement, his colleagues in oil producing states and the federal government have been under pressure to come up with full disclosure of all the monies released and how they were used.
