Derivation Funds: EFCC investigates S’South governors, cites high scale embezzlement
Derivation Funds: EFCC investigates S’South governors, cites high scale embezzlement
BY ORIAKU IJELE & EZE BARTH
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has commenced investigations over the embezzlement of over a trillion naira embezzlement discovered by the Commission allegedly committed by a particular governor in the Niger Delta of the South South zone of the country.
Our correspondent who was at the two-day, First International Anti-Corruption and Climate Change Conference, organised by the Human and Environmental Agenda, HEDA Resource Center with the theme; National Stakeholders’ Engagement For Accountability and Transparency in Addressing Climate Change, Energy Transition and Oil Extraction Licencing for Sustainable development, held at the Bon Hotel Octagon, Jahi, Abuja, reports the alleged financial infractions are rampant amongst governors of the South South zone who enjoy the 13% derivation for the Federal Government.
According to our correspondent, Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the EFCC during the event stated that the Commission is investigating a state in the Niger Delta States that allegedly squandered over a trillion Naira derivation funds it received from the Federal Government.
The EFCC chairman decried the impact of environmental degradation in the zone ascertain that corruption is the cause of the huge disaster in the area.
He said Olukoyede advocated for transparency adding that Nigerians deserve a taste of good governance.
“Let us give our people for the first time a taste of good governance, go to the Niger-Delta creeks and see what is going on there. Meanwhile, some of these states have been given thirteen percent derivation funds. Now as I am talking to you there is a particular state I am investigating for derivation funds they collected over the years, over a trillion.
“It is one of the biggest cases I am handling now, we want to know what you have done with this money for eight years. Ecological funds that government released over the years, what has been the impact?” He said.
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“Now we have some of these matters that we have filed in court, because when you are talking about environmental degradation, those damages that it has caused, what is the impact, then vis-à-vis what we are doing as anti-corruption agency, what are we doing about it, what is the society doing about it, how can we reverse this terrible development?” he added.
According to Olukoyede, the commission and other anti-corruption agencies are not personal in their fight against corruption, especially in prosecuting past governors and ministers.
“I also want to challenge us that this time, particularly for anti-corruption agencies, we fight cases that have to do with some of this past governors, ministers, particularly in the Niger-Delta areas, don’t just run with the narratives you see on the pages of newspapers.
“As citizens, we can apply for the copies of the processes that we have filed and you begin to see some of the proof of evidence that we have put in our processes to look at the dept of the problems that we are facing. Don’t let us not get carried away with the fact that EFCC is arraigning a past governor, a past minister. No, what are we arraigning them for, what are we prosecuting them for so that will help our civil society people and also Nigerians at large to support us in this fight.
“There is nothing personal about it, it is just for the soul of our country and for the interest of our local people that have not been given the taste of governance,” he added.
Olukoyede revealed that the Commission had set up a special task force to fight illegal mining across all the Commission’s zonal offices which he blame traditional rulers, foreigners and some unpatriotic citizens.
“I have just set up a special task force on illegal mining across all the zonal offices, it is a major problem that we are grappling with. You need to see, if I’ve come with the pictures of some of the environmental damages that illegal mining has caused. This time around, not only from the people but by some foreigners, Chinese and all of that, but particularly by some of the indigenous people in their own environment in some cases supported by some traditional rulers,” he said.
“I want to encourage you to support the work of anti-corruption agencies and I want to encourage the civil society organizations, I think there is need for us to collaborate more. Come around some of these cases we are investigating, we will tell you some of the face involved, the dept of the destruction, the cost implication on part of Nigerians, how it has affected lives, affected progress and development. It is important for us to have a deep understanding of what we are doing for us to appreciate what the issues are so that run with it,” he reiterated. (Daily Times)
