Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani

By Francis Sadhere, Warri

A Niger Delta group under the auspices of Reformed Egbesu Confraternity (REF) on Monday accused the Niger Delta Governors of allegedly misappropriating over eleven trillion naira of the Federal Government’s 13% derivation fund allocated to their states for the past 15 years.

In a statement by spokesperson of REF, Ebi Alagbakouriwei and made available to our correspondent in Warri, the group alleged that governors of the Niger Delta region misappropriated the monies since the inception of the commencement of the 13% allocation to the states.

The group therefore, urged the Federal Government to stop paying the 13% derivation funds to the state governors of the oil and gas communities and rather pay the money directly to communities.

It also called on the Federal Government to probe all the governors of the oil and gas producing states for not accounting for the over eleven trillion naira allocated to them.

The statements reads in part, “The host communities oil and gas in Delta state reported to the EFCC that N277,007,790,000.00 (two hundred and seventy-seven billion, seven million, seven hundred and ninety naira) remains unaccounted for till date. The EFCC bluntly refused to take action.

“The host communities took the matter to the law court in Delta State for past three years. The case has never being heard till date, but has been transferred from one Judicial division to the other including Owo-Oyibo, Asaba, Udu and back to Warri. The case has perpetually adjourned at every sitting over the last three years.”

The group also warned that the continued indifference to their appeal and demand may lead to chaos, condemning the Niger Delta Governors for the alleged “diversion, misappropriation and mismanagement of the 13% derivation funds for the last 15 years.”

While commending Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Minister for Petroleum Resources (states), Dr. Ibe Kachikwu for their commitment to the peace process and the development of the Niger Delta region, the group also called on the Federal Government to partner with host communities instead of the state governors.