Oil and gas communities in Delta State have filed a petition with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of misappropriating over N1 trillion from the state’s 13 percent derivation funds during his tenure. The communities claim that the funds, which were meant for the rehabilitation and development of oil-producing areas, were diverted from the legally prescribed allocation to the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC).
Representatives of the communities, operating under the Association of Oil and Gas Producing Communities of Delta State, gathered at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja to present their case against the former governor. The petition, signed by Chief Mulade Sheriff, Sir Mathew Itsekure, Mrs Patience Ego Afujue, Hon. Mark Ikpuri, and Chief John Etenero, was submitted to the commission.
Chief Mulade Sheriff, speaking on behalf of the communities, emphasized that the former governor had illegally and unlawfully diverted the staggering sum of N1,077,450,285,552.17. The communities are appealing to the anti-graft agency to conduct a comprehensive investigation into Okowa’s administration.
The petition specifically urges the EFCC to diligently probe the allocations and deployment of the 13 percent oil derivation funds accrued and disbursed to the Delta State Government from 2015 to 2023. The communities emphasize the need to pay attention to the 50 percent share of the oil derivation fund prescribed by the DESOPADEC law of 2006 (as amended), 2007, 2015, and 2018.
According to the petition, the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission was established to cater to the well-being of the oil and gas producing communities in Delta State, as stipulated in Section 13(1) of the DESOPADEC Law. However, the communities claim that the former governor blatantly abused and violated these provisions, using the funds for personal gain instead of the intended purposes.
The petitioners highlight that the Delta State Government received a total of N1,077,450,285,552.17 from the 13 percent oil derivation fund between July 2015 and December 2022, as confirmed by records obtained from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation. They contend that the amount received by Okowa is even greater when considering the 13 percent monthly allocations from January 2023 to May 2023. They have attached the relevant documentation to support their claims.
The communities express deep disappointment that despite the substantial funds disbursed to the Delta State Government, the oil-producing areas continue to suffer from abject poverty and lack of essential social amenities and infrastructure. They argue that the misappropriation of the oil derivation funds is a major factor contributing to the ongoing unrest and agitation in the Niger Delta region.
In response to the allegations, the former Governor’s spokesperson, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, dismissed the claims as baseless and referred to them as a wild-goose chase. He argued that the funds received during Okowa’s tenure amounted to N2.1 trillion, which was allocated for various expenditures, including salaries. He accused the petitioners of being motivated by political grievances, asserting that the majority of local government areas in Delta State endorsed Okowa as their governor.
At the time of reporting, the EFCC had not issued an official statement in response to the petition.
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