By Zik Gbemre
Now that Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan has left Delta State Government House, we consider it imperative to direct some pressing pertinent questions to the now former Governor; questions which we strongly believe Deltans and well-meaning Nigerians would really like to get answers to. And these are questions that boil down to ‘accountability’ and ‘transparency’ by the immediate former Delta State Governor Uduaghan.
It is regrettable that Delta State in the last Sixteen years or so is one state in Nigeria where the issues of unaccountability and lock of transparency have often questioned the integrity of the State government in the management and appropriation of Delta State public funds and resources. A look at Delta State from 1999 till date would reveal that there are more questions than answers, on the part of the State governments’ ability to account to Deltans; on how every Naira and kobo of revenue/allocation coming into Delta State’s purse were expended, not to mention the huge amounts of money also ‘borrowed’ by the Delta State government that were not accounted for in all these years.
What we even find more disturbing is the fact that whenever we consider the huge amounts of funds (be it through internal revenues, Federal allocations or borrowed money) that comes into the Delta State Government’s purse every now and then, and then compare this with what we see on ground in terms of development at all levels of the State, the disparity that exists is enough to drive any sane mind mad. Despite several calls by us and well meaning Nigerians in the past, on the need for the now former Delta State Government led by Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, to be more accountable and transparent in the management and appropriation of the State’s public funds, we are bewildered the more every now and then by the atrocities that was committed by the former Governor Uduaghan-led Delta State Government as supposed custodians of State’s public funds. It is like the more Deltans cry out for Government’s need for accountability and transparency, the more the government does whatever pleases them with reckless abandon and impunity.
Without mincing words, Delta State has one of the most corrupt State Government in the country that has been running the State in the last 16 years. In all these years, the said Delta State Government is being led by the PDP cabal; comprising of James Ibori (who is now in a UK prison over corrupt practices and misappropriation of Delta State funds), his cousin the immediate former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and more recently newly sworn-in Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. The first two especially, have kept Delta State under their clutches, and have been running and handling the State resources with reckless abandon and impunity as if it is their private business. Despite the fact that this PDP cabal are no longer popular and accepted by the majority of Deltans, they have succeeded in forcing and imposing themselves on the people so as to hold on to power and cover their corrupt tracks. As one was set to leave the Delta State Government House, he did every trick by using the State’s resources to put someone that will cover his tracks and to continue draining the State’s resources without any hindrance. Ibori started it in 1999, and after 8 years he placed his cousin Uduaghan, who continued from where he stopped. And now Uduaghan has succeeded in placing Gov. Okowa to take over from him. This has made Delta State to be under the ‘Political Slavery’ of the said PDP cabal.
One of the questions that we need to ask and find answers to (which we believe will help us understand what we are saying here), is: What was the financial status of the immediate former Governor Uduaghan before 1999 when his cousin Ibori, appointed him as Commissioner of Health? And what is his financial status now that he has left Delta State Government House? Without mincing words, we all would be shocked and left speechless if we can conduct an expose and investigation of Uduaghan’s current status of wealth, including that of his family members, and compare it with what it was before he was brought into politics and Delta State Government circle by his cousin Ibori.
We would be amazed to discover that as at today, Uduaghan is said to be one of the richest men in Delta State. This was the same man who was running his own Clinic and living with his family in the same building at No 7, Jubare Street, Off Giwa Amu Street, Okumagba Layout, Warri, before he joined Delta State Government led then by his cousin Ibori in 1999. That building, which is located in an area that is usually flooded whenever it rains and the environment very unkempt, is still there today for those interested to go and investigate it and see for themselves. Uduaghan was living in the said ‘rented bungalow of two flats which served as part of his Clinic then. The Clinic was in the front flat while he lived with his family, including his mother in the second flat before his cousin Ibori appointed him Commissioner for Health and he moved to his present house near Riwani Villa along Ogunu Road, Warri, Delta State. Today, Uduaghan is said to have practically bought almost all the whole area around his said house at Ogunu Road, including a Church building located there. We also learnt Uduaghan has acquired and has built a very big mansion in Warri GRA where he intends to move to with his family. Mind you, these are just the few property acquired by Uduaghan that we know off. There are many out there that are not known to the public. But wherever they are, let us reiterate here that all the stolen Delta State public funds that were used to acquire these property and assets should be refunded back to the Delta State purse because the former Delta State Governor, Uduaghan could not have afforded these properties with his monthly pay and allowances.
We agree that one is expected to progress in life, especially when one is active in the public service of government. But when one’s income does not commensurate with what one has in terms of ‘supposed acquired wealth’, then we are bound to ask questions. The question is, how much is Uduaghan’s honest Salaries and allowances as Governor of Delta State for eight years? When compared to his current vast estates and assets across Warri, Asaba, Abuja and only God Knows where else, can we honestly say former Governor Uduaghan’s pay commensurate what he owns? If he cannot justify this, where then did he get the wealth from? What was Governor Uduaghan’s asset before he entered government and what is the current status of this? We all know the obvious answers to these questions.
What the immediate former Delta State Governor had failed to realize (or has forgotten) was that Delta State money was not his personal wealth and that of his family but the wealth of the State is for the entire people of Delta State. Uduaghan and his ex-convict cousin James Ibori, are rated to be richer than the entire Delta State populace. Since Ibori has already pleaded guilty of misappropriating the Delta State funds for his private pocket, and he is currently still paying the price in a UK prison, the onus now lies on his cousin Uduaghan to come out clean and holistically account for every penny he has spent/used while in Delta State Government, especially in the last eight years as Governor of Delta State. Well-meaning Deltans should ask Uduaghan to give proper account of how he has spent the public funds of the State in the last eight years of his out gone government.
Uduaghan should be made to realize that whatever illegal/illegitimate wealth he was said to have accumulated while in government in the last sixteen years or so, still belongs to the Delta State people. These are legitimate issues and questions that needs to be raised and answers proffered because when we look at the Uduaghan’s honest salaries/emoluments and allowances in the last sixteen years that he has been in government, it does not commensurate or make sense with what his current status of wealth. It is high time we start telling it to the face of Nigerian Politicians in Delta State to stop looting and misappropriating the State’s public funds. Until we start asking them such questions and demand answers to them, they will continue to milk the State’s resources dry to the detriment of all and sundry.
To give us a glimpse of what we are saying here, Delta State, which is one of the ‘major’ states of the oil and gas producing Niger Delta region, is amongst the highest earners of Federal allocation in the country. Let us consider some facts and figures from 2012. Following the promise of former President Goodluck Jonathan at the inception of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), on commitment to transparency and accountable implementation of the programme, the then Federal Ministry of Finance, through the former Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, started making available the breakdown of subsidy savings allocated to the Federal, States and Local Government. For instance, for August 2012, Delta State got N1, 249, 164, 421.92. This amount included the 13% derivation while in the subsidy savings at N97 per litre, Delta State got, N188, 148, 007.01. For the distribution of revenue allocation to state governments by the Federation Account Allocation Committee for the month of July, 2012 which was shared in August, 2012, Delta State made up of 25 local government areas got a Total Gross Amount of N20, 550, 712, 001.30 and a Total Net Amount of N17, 962, 569, 852. 75. Ughelli North, Warri South and Burutu Local Government Areas had the highest revenue allocations to local government Councils for the month with N213, 668, 720. 95, N203, 854, 422.70 and N185, 375, 240.96 respectively, while the lowest were allocations to Patani, Bomadi and Aniocha South Local Government Councils that got N130, 719, 212.28, N185,375,240.96 and N141, 446,624.83 respectively. From the Federation Allocation, Delta State gets N24billion monthly aside the N4billion Internally Generated Revenue, of which presently has risen to about N50.4 billion according to the Chairman of Delta State Internal Board of Revenue, Hon. Onowakpo.
Further facts showed that a total of N8.8 trillion was actually accrued to the three tiers of government from the Federation Account between January and December 2012 from the statutory and VAT allocations. According to a report, this amount is exclusive of other allocations such as Derivation (for oil-producing states), Excess Crude Account, Domestic Crude Account, Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation refund and foreign exchange differentials. And from statistics provided then by the Federal Government, South-South states received the highest allocations, with Akwa-Ibom receiving N217,776,188,886.07, followed by Rivers State which received N177,488,261,117.17. Bayelsa State got N115,743,144,031.67; and of course, Delta State got a total of N156,052,071,645.19, while Edo State got N68,169,040,433.24. Cross River State N63,894,575,941.74. Then for the month of March 2013, the gross revenue from the Value Added Tax (VAT) witnessed an increase of N1, 492 billion. The sum of N64, 199 billion was available as against N62, 707 billion distributed in the preceding month. A breakdown of the distribution showed that for the month of March 2013 alone, the Federal government got N232, 529 billion (52.68%) as against N209, 856 billion received for the month of February. The State governments shared a total of N117, 942 billion (26.72%) as against N106, 442 billion received for the previous month. The Local governments shared N90, 928 billion (20.60%) against N82, 062 billion received for February. The oil producing states, which includes our dear Delta State, shared the sum of N55, 008 billion as 13% derivation revenue for the month of March 2013 as against NN47, 484 billion collected for February 2013.
Another summary of distribution of SURE-P and other Federal allocations for the month of May shared in June 2014, as published by the Office of The Accountant-General of The Federation, Federal Ministry of Finance, showed that Delta State got N1, 027, 490, 326.44 (for SURE-P including 13% derivation), and is amongst the South-South States like Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Bayelsa with the highest figures received for just that month alone. And the total gross amount for the same month for Delta State stood at N14, 867, 591, 158.05, and so on do the figures go. Let us bear in mind that these staggering figures of federal Allocations came into Delta State Government coffers during uduaghan’s reign on a ‘monthly basis’.
We decided to take our time to present summary of some of these figures to give us an idea of the sort of public funds available to various Nigerian political leaders, in this case Delta State, to transform their respective States. And let us not forget that all these monies were different and separate from the State’s internally generated revenue that nobody has any idea of what is really the monthly amount that comes into government coffers. The question begging for answer is: Why are states like Edo with N8billion monthly allocation (from August 2012 allocation), moving on the “fast lane of development” but Delta State is grappling with infrastructural development with poor road network across the state which shows that the amount received monthly is not commensurate with what is on ground?
Uduaghan should be able to tell Deltans how much exactly have been accrued to Delta State as Federal Government allocation revenue plus the internally generated Revenues as well, in the past eight years of his reign in government? And then we can compare these figures with what we have on ground as all the projects and programmes executed by the Uduaghan administration for the public to pass their judgment.
As we speak, even the ‘basic infrastructural amenities’ like regular power supply, good road networks, a friendly business environment and friendly tax policies are not evident in Delta State. All the Ports around Delta State are not functional. There is no guaranteed security in Delta State as the ‘ill-equipped’ security operatives are left struggling with the battle against kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminal elements. When the basic infrastructures are not there, and no guaranteed security, how then will investors be attracted to come and invest in the State? Today, big oil companies like Shell (SPDC), and others have left Delta State and many are still planning to leave to invest in other States like Edo, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, etc, simply because of the ‘unfriendly business’ environment in the State. Yet, the former Uduaghan Government was drumming about “Delta State Beyond Oil”. The Delta State Beyond Oil (DBO) initiative was just a mere expression on paper used by the immediate former Delta State Government to deceive themselves and not the people, to misappropriate public funds.
Before we go any further, let us make it categorically clear here that we are not using this to witch-hunt or castigate anyone. We do not belong to any political party neither are we affiliated or linked to any political interests. Our aim here like always, is to praise that which is worthy to be emulated by our political leaders and to equally condemn (where necessary), that which is bad and unworthy, without fear or favour. Our deepest desire here is to bring to limelight some of the pressing issues in our polity, specifically in Delta State, and raise pertinent questions with the hope that those concerned will provide answers to and change their ill-advised ways as custodians of state resources for the general good of all and sundry and not for some selected few.
Let us also state here that we do not have anything against the former or present Delta State Governments, far from it and completely out of the question. As a matter of fact, the said DBO Initiative and some (not all) of the other programs and agendas of the former Delta State Government are worthy steps we believe, if honestly carried out can turn things around. But the problem with the immediate past administration and even that which came before it, has always been their “insincerity” in holistically and honestly “implementing” most of their agendas, especially in the management of the huge Federal allocation and State revenues that accrues to the State. This is where the problem lies. And as such, most of the programmes, projects and agendas initiated by the Delta State Government and its Agencies and arms are more like avenues through which State public funds are misappropriated and mismanaged. The former Delta State Governor and the present State Governor cannot be talking about “Delta State Beyond Oil” when a commercial city like Warri does not have a standard airport. What Warri has is still the Osubi Airstrip; which is currently being underutilized because of its size. The former Delta State Governor had started the Osubi Airstrip expansion to become a standard Airport but today, it has become a failed project abandoned by the Uduaghan administration.
Without mincing words, the situation in Delta State is so sad and pathetic that one can only hope for some “divine intervention or the miraculous”, for any major positive and wholesome change to take place. The PDP–led Cabal under Ibori and Uduaghan has succeeded in transferring the political leadership of Delta State to Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa to cover up and continue from where they stopped. Delta State is a practical example of the unfortunate status most African countries finds themselves in presently; where the political leaders over the years have practiced “voodoo democracy” by using every trick they can muster to remain in government circles and refuse the peoples’ voice, votes and interests to count or matter in their development. And when the people are denied the right to choose their preferred political leaders, what we have evident over the years are political leaders without vision and sacrificial commitment. Political leaders who feel they are not obligated to account for State’s public funds or answer to anybody because their political mandate was never given to them by the people but was stolen.
The crux of the matter is that Deltans, especially those in political circles, should stop all the praise-singing and sycophancy for things to change for the good of all. Until we begin to tell our political leaders and ourselves the truth as Deltans, mediocrity would continue to be enthroned as lord over all of us.
We should stop deceiving ourselves by telling our political leaders the truth and nothing but the truth. The few people that praise the Delta State Governor know in their deep hearts that the Uduaghan administration has not performed as expected going by the enormous revenue it enjoyed. But they will prefer to praise the former governor because of what they had gained or expected to gain from the new government of Gov. Okowa in the system. However, we are glad that majority of the people in Delta State are beginning to see things clearly and differently, hence, Deltans have nicknamed Uduaghan: “Na Who you help?” What a ‘dishonorable’ way for one to bow out of a government he has enjoyed for eight years.
Note: We have attached here for public consumption, few pictures of the building/flats which former Delta State Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan was living in with his family and using part of it for his Clinic before his ‘sudden status transformation.’
Zik Gbemre, JP
National Coordinator
Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC)
No.28, Opi Street, Ugboroke Layout, Effurun-Warri,
P.O. Box 2254, Warri, Delta State, Nigeria.
Tel: +2348026428271
+2348052106013
Website: www.ndpc-zik.org
