The Ijaw Youth Council has called on the governors of oil-producing states to be transparent in the use of the 13 per cent derivation fund given to their states by the federal government.
The spokesman of the IYC, Ebilade Ekerefe, who spoke with our correspondent, urged the governors to show the people how much their respective states had received and how the fund, which comes from the federal revenue to oil-producing communities through the state governments, was spent.
Ekerefe said, “To attain transparency, the governments of the oil-producing states should publish exact figures of what they have received from the Federal Government and what they have used it for, so society can be fully aware of what has happened. A situation where people are playing politics with the 13 per cent (derivation) is not a situation we would want to meddle in.”
“We are aware that some state governors from the Niger Delta region have explained what the money was used for. For Bayelsa State, we were told part of the 13 per cent derivation funds were used to advance the three senatorial (district) roads and other critical infrastructures in the state. Other state governments need to inform the public what the money has been used for.”
Speaking further on the matter, the spokesman noted that the onus of transparency was not only on the part of the state governors but also on the Federal Government.
“The Federal Government also needs to come out very clean. They should tell the people about their move if truly they have given the people the funds instead of keeping quiet.”
According to Ekerefe, the governors needed to explain how the money was spent as not all the governors were judicious about spending the money meant for their states.
He added, “We are aware that that money did not come in bulk so governors should be able to itemise what they were able to use the money for but this is not to say that every state government is judiciously spending the 13 per cent (derivation) for the state. But before we can interrogate that, the Federal Government should be able to tell the general public what has been brought, the number of times this money has been released.
“The state governments should be able to defend what they have received from the Federal Government and the areas they have channelled the 13 per cent (derivation) to and if the 13 per cent (derivation) has not been fully paid by the Federal Government, as youth leaders from this region.
“We insist that this money should be paid and made known to the general public so we can hold them accountable.”
