As part of the payment due Delta State Government, it recieved only N44.7 billion out of the N240 billion from the 13 percent Derivation Fund owed by the Federal Government (FG).
The State Commissioner for Finance, Fidelis Tilije, disclosed this while briefing newsmen at Government House, Asaba.
The clarification comes against the backdrop of 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 to the present.
Although, Tilije explained that N240 billion was Delta’s share of the payment approved by President Muhammadu Buhari for the nine oil-producing States from 2004 to date.
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He disclosed the State government had initially applied for N150 billion bridging finance, which the FG turned down to N100 billion from the expected refund of N240 billion to meet payment of its legacy projects in the State.
“So, in a way, the state has accessed and utilised the N14.7 billion paid by the Federal Government and the N30 billion from the bridging finance for payment for ongoing projects,”
The commissioner clarified that the total amount owed Delta with respect to the deductions was N240 billion and that the FG had agreed to pay the money quarterly in five years.
Tilije noted that Okowa’s administration was transparent and open to the people with its finances, programmes and projects.
He added that the state government was committed to completing all legacy projects before the end of the administration.
The briefing was done in company of the Commissioner for Special Duties, Chief Henry Sakpara, and Oilsa Ifeajika, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
