The New Delta Avengers has challenged Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, to account for receipts and disbursement of the 13 percent derivation fund as it affects project in oil communities of the state. The group, which was engaged in a war of words with the state government over allocation of funds and development of oil-bearing areas, threatened that the hours of attack “is at hand”.
Spokesperson of the group, Olleum Belum, said in a statement, that the group had withdrawn the 21-day grace period, stressing that it was now ready to strike after ‘deploying personnel and resources to target areas. “The governor still has (sic) to answer. What we asked for is the name and physical location of projects that this government has spread in oil communities in Ijaw, Isoko, Ijaw, Ndokwa and Urhobo communities.
Governor Okowa, who had debunked allegations of under-developing oil communities, urged the group and other aggrieved interests to adopt the path of dialogue instead of sabre rattling. While hinting that those behind the group were from outside the state, the governor insisted that all development efforts had been spread across board and blamed the recent economic recession for low revenue profile of the state. Meanwhile, Bellum revealed that the avengers were moving back its June 30 deadline to start attacking oil facilities, saying: “We have to inform you today that the hour is near. “We said before that we would commence our operations by the end of the month but that we can move the date forward. New Delta Avenger Command is now ready. “We have sent all our boys and material to the location we are targeting and we have also put the government on notice about our action. We are not cowards; we do not hide under the shadow to operate. “We also call President Buhari and his vice, Prof Osibanjo, to pay 13% money directly to oil communities. We want to control our resources in delta because government has failed us all these years. This may become another frontier in the war against operation in the Niger Delta.”
“If you see the allocations for states that were released by Ministry of Finance today, you will see that Delta State and Okowa were paid N4,747,930,884.16bn for February, and DESOPADEC is supposed to get half of that money but we know that nothing was paid to DESOPADEC.” “We said he (Okowa) is robbing Peter to pay Paul and we stand by this. Let him release the fact on the fund that he has given to DESOPADEC? Why is he not publishing accounts of the state allocation, IGR and other revenues and what he has done with them like his colleagues in other states are doing? “Even projects that were began before the Okowa government by DESOPADEC have all halted because the money is being siphoned (to other parts of the state).”
Governor Okowa, who had debunked allegations of under-developing oil communities, urged the group and other aggrieved interests to adopt the path of dialogue instead of sabre rattling. While hinting that those behind the group were from outside the state, the governor insisted that all development efforts had been spread across board and blamed the recent economic recession for low revenue profile of the state. Meanwhile, Bellum revealed that the avengers were moving back its June 30 deadline to start attacking oil facilities, saying: “We have to inform you today that the hour is near. “We said before that we would commence our operations by the end of the month but that we can move the date forward. New Delta Avenger Command is now ready. “We have sent all our boys and material to the location we are targeting and we have also put the government on notice about our action. We are not cowards; we do not hide under the shadow to operate. “We also call President Buhari and his vice, Prof Osibanjo, to pay 13% money directly to oil communities. We want to control our resources in delta because government has failed us all these years. This may become another frontier in the war against operation in the Niger Delta.”
“If you see the allocations for states that were released by Ministry of Finance today, you will see that Delta State and Okowa were paid N4,747,930,884.16bn for February, and DESOPADEC is supposed to get half of that money but we know that nothing was paid to DESOPADEC.” “We said he (Okowa) is robbing Peter to pay Paul and we stand by this. Let him release the fact on the fund that he has given to DESOPADEC? Why is he not publishing accounts of the state allocation, IGR and other revenues and what he has done with them like his colleagues in other states are doing? “Even projects that were began before the Okowa government by DESOPADEC have all halted because the money is being siphoned (to other parts of the state).”
Air your Views in the Comment box Below
Pay Attention: DOWNLOAD BLOGSTAR NEWS MOBILE APP
