ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Akwa Ibom State Government said it has only received N186 billion from the Federal Government of Nigeria as the state’s share of the 13 per cent oil derivation backlog paid to the Niger Delta States in the country.
The state Commissioner for Finance, Linus Nkan, disclosed this at a press conference in Uyo, the State capital.
This is coming on the heels of comments by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, who alleged that the oil-producing states have refused to disclose their share of the 13 per cent derivation arrears paid by the Federal Government of Nigeria from 1999 to all the Niger Delta States.
But in reaction, the Akwa Ibom State Government said that only N186 billion has so far been received by the state government.
Presenting the government’s position to journalists in Uyo, Nkan explained that even though the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) agreed with the very detailed submission and calculated the sums accruing to the states, it was agreed that the payments be made in tranches quarterly, over a period of five years, due to the large amount involved and the inability of the federal government to pay all at once.
Supported by the Commissioners for Information, Ini Ememobong, his counterpart in the Ministry of Works, Eno Ibanga, and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ekerete Udoh, Nkan further assured the people of the avowed commitment of the Udom Emmanuel administration to ensure judicious and justifiable application of scarce resources to provide for the needs of the people.