* Silent on amount
The Bayelsa State government confirmed on Tuesday that it has been receiving refunds of arrears of 13 per cent oil derivation proceeds from the Federal government.
It did not, however, disclose how much it received.
The Tuesday confirmation by the Bayelsa State government followed revelation by Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike that the Federal government had paid the arrears of the derivation fund.
He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for authorising the payment of the money, which had been outstanding since 1999.
Furthermore, Wike revealed that Niger Delta states had been receiving the funds since 2019, and challenged governors in the region to account for the windfall.
Reacting to Wike’s claim and challenge to the governors, Governor Douye Diri admitted that Bayelsa State has been getting the funds and deploying the cash to capital projects.
Diri said the State discounted the funds.
Diri’s reaction was conveyed through a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah.
“For people who are talking about the 13 per cent derivation funds due to the State, I want to state that for one reason or the other, we were under-paid.
“When we discovered that, we followed due process from the State’s Executive Council to the State’s House of Assembly.
“Approvals were given and the funds were discounted.
“I do not play politics with this kind of thing. Anybody who wants to see how we use our money, our monthly transparency briefing on our financial income and expenditure are available.
“One kilometre of road we build in Yenagoa is costlier than three kilometres or four kilometres of road built elsewhere,” the governor was quotes to have said.
– NAN