The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has exonerated Akwa Ibom State government of any mismanagement of the 13% Derivation areas refunded by the federal government to oil-bearing states
There have been a lot of controversies and frenzy surrounding the refunded arrears in Akwa Ibom State since the River State governor, Mr Nyesom Wike, openly thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the refund, which he claimed he used to execute most of the projects in his state.
But the CLO in an uncharacteristic press conference on Wednesday in Uyo, not only gave Udom Emmanuel administration a clean bill on the fund management, but also warned the people of the state to desist from any action that would plunge the state into chaos as witnessed during the 2015 election.
Addressing the press at the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Image House, Uyo, the state chairman of CLO, Otuekong Franklyn Isong said the group’s independent investigation into the issue has revealed that the 13% Derivation Fund arrears refunded to the account of the Government of Akwa Ibom State started in 2021.
“CLO also notes that the 13% Derivation Fund arrears refunded to the State by the Federal Government was captured in the 2022 Appropriation Law of Akwa Ibom State and in the 2022 approved revised Appropriation Law of Akwa Ibom State.
“CLO can confirm that the 13% Derivation Fund arrears refunded to the State by the Federal Government is reflected in the 2023 Appropriation Bill of Akwa Ibom State currently under consideration by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
“CLO’s findings further revealed that the 13% Derivation Fund arrears refunded to the State by the Federal Government was captured as one of the sources of revenue accruable to the account of the Government of Akwa Ibom State in the Accountant General’s Audited Report for 2021 and will be captured in the Accountant General’s Audited Report for 2022.” Isong said.
While re-emphasising their non-partisan and non-political pro-democracy status which mandate is to hold public office holders accountable to the people and ensure probity, transparency, and accountability in government. Isong reminded politicians that the CLO had issued an advisory to them in the state not to heat up the polity but to go about their electioneering in a responsible and decorous manner “restraining themselves from the use of hate speech and campaign of calumny, which are capable of hampering the course of governance, peace and security in the State.”
“We wish to reiterate our earlier advisory to politicians in Akwa Ibom State that they should not allow their political ambitions to becloud their reasoning or tend them towards creating unease or tension in the State.
“CLO is disturbed by the tension that the issue of 13% Derivation Fund arrears refund is being used to create. Particularly worrisome is the resort by certain politicians to heat up the polity with incendiary and inciting statements.
“CLO observes with dismay that some politicians in the State are attempting to make political capital out of the statement credited to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on the 13% Derivation Funds arrears refunded to the State by the Federal Government through deliberate misinformation and misrepresentation of the fact in issue in a manner that is capable of fuelling unrest and derailing the course of governance, peace and security in the State.
“CLO, however, considers the tension and the furore surrounding the issue of 13% Derivation Fund refund as unnecessary and distracting.
“CLO cautions against any situation that can lead to a re-enactment of the 2011 pre/post electoral violence recorded in the State in which several lives were lost and properties worth hundreds of millions of Naira were destroyed.”
Isong went ahead to reel out some of the projects embarked upon by Udom Emmanuel administration as well as constituency projects of the national and state assembly members of which he claimed the body had undertaken on-the-spot inspections.
“CLO had firsthand information on projects executed and/or facilitated by the administration. In summary, more than 50 road projects were inspected and found to be either completed or at various stages of completion.
He said since the exercise is ongoing, at the end of it, CLO would be able to appraise the performance of the State and Federal Lawmakers.
