Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil & Gas (HOSCON), Delta State chapter has said the immediate past governor of the State, Ifeanyi Okowa, did not divert or misappropriate the 13 per cent Derivation funds accruing to State.
He made this claim at a press conference held at Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area.
The group comprising Itsekiri, Ijaw, Urhobo, Ndokwa, and Ika ethnic nationalities at the conference, lauded Okowa for “judiciously managing the 13% Derivation Fund.”
Recall that last week, members of Oil and Gas Producing Communities of Delta State had stormed the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to demand the probe and investigation of Senator Okowa for alleged illegal and unlawful diversion of host communities’ 13% oil derivation funds.
But the State Chairman of the group, Comrade Sunday Enujeke, insisted that the funds accruing to the state during the tenure of Okowa were not misappropriated nor mismanaged.
He added that the allegations of alleged misappropriation of the 50% accruable to Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) from the 13% Derivation Fund by Okowa were a calculated attempt to mislead, confuse and incite the unsuspecting public against Dr Okowa.
“We have observed with great concern and consternation, the orchestrated campaign of calumny against the immediate past Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, concerning the alleged misappropriation of the 50% accruable to Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) from the 13% Derivation Fund.
“There is a deliberate attempt to distort the facts, misinform, and hoodwink the populace into fighting their proxy war against the past Governor.
“We are a registered body in Nigeria with RC number 23281 and saddled with the responsibility of advocating for accelerated development across the Oil and Gas communities of Delta State particularly, and Nigeria in general.
“As the name implies, we have the mandate to give the public first-hand information as it relates to the usage of our common patrimony which is the 13% Derivation, as it relates to Delta.
“We can state without any fear of contradiction that the funds earmarked for the development of oil and gas bearing communities has been judiciously used to the best of our knowledge and we unequivocally say that Senator Dr Okowa has done very well,” Enujeke reiterated.
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