Starrys Obazei/November 22, 2022.

Contrary to what has been bandied about Delta State Government’s impugned profligacy as regards having spent N141.93 billion from the 13 percent derivation fund owed by the Federal Government without fulfilling its financial obligations to the state’s development, the Senator Ifeanyi Okowa-led state administration has revealed that it had only received N44.7 billion out of the N240 billion owed by the Federal Government, according to the Daily Post. View pictures in App save up to 80% of data.

This was disclosed by the State Commissioner for Finance, Fidelis Tilije, while briefing reporters at Government House, Asaba, Tuesday.

He said: “So, in a way, the state has accessed and utilized the N14.7 billion paid by the Federal Government and N30 billion for payment for ongoing projects.”

This is coming days after the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike’s disclosure that President Muhammadu Buhari had released the 13 percent derivation money owed to the Niger Delta states from 1999.

Wike, who spoke on the arrears last Friday during the inauguration of the N17 billion Port Harcourt Campus of the Nigerian Law School, said Buhari’s gesture was the primary source of revenue for his projects in the state.

He said: “Monies that were not paid to the Niger Delta states since 1999 mainly 13 percent deductions, the President approved and paid all of us in Niger Delta states.”

Wike repeated his claims at two other events afterward. Stakeholders have, however, started asking questions of their governors on how they spent or are spending their shares of the money.

And this has reportedly led to speculations in the media that Governor Okowa had the most significant sum and yet had not done well in infrastructure development like Rivers State.