The father of all fraud in this decade and boss of Smart Agenda, Who is the immediate past Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, with other Public Office Holders in Nigeria that have enriched themselves through public funds should be executed publicly the way it is done China.
Okowa, who ruled Delta State, in a corrupt manner for eight years was recently arrested by the EFCC, for enriching himself with public funds of Delta State to the tune of over N1.3billion while in office with other public office holders should be made to face the law without prejudice. The President of Nigeria, Ahmed Tinubu and over Forty of his serving Ministers, that have earlier been indicted by the EFCC, should also be brought to face the law no matter the time.
Minor or under age who joined in the end bad government peaceful protest can’t be arraigned by criminals who perpetuated themselves to power, while they, who have sang Nigeria through fraudulent activities would be left to be moving around freely with impunity.
If a vivid and holistic search and analysis should be made the fact remains that those in the helm of affairs are criminals that have enriched themselves through public funds.
It is also necessary to look into how Okowa was allegedly able to perpetuate his criminal activity while in office. Some of the Okowa’s budgetary allocations from 2016 – 2023
2016 – N28 billion, 2017 – N28 billion
2018 – N28 billion, 2019 – N31 billion, 2020 – N21.4 billion, 2021 – N30 billion,
2022 – N34 billion
2023 – N48 billion,which the total came to N248.4 billion.
Source revealed from Delta State Budget Documents confirmed the above figures.
For those who often argue because of their stomach infrastructures or paid to defend any government in power, that budgetary allocation does not equate to releases, it is therefore possible to state that DESOPADEC did not get the entire N248.4 billion allocated in the eight years of Okowa’s administration.
Based on the DESOPADEC Law, fifty percent (50%) of the 13% Derivation Fund is meant to be remitted to DESOPADEC by Delta State Government for the development of the oil producing communities.
From the information above, in 2021 Delta State received N142 billion from the Federal Government as their share of the 13% Derivation Fund. This means DESOPADEC’s share of 50% should be N71 billion.
However Okowa should confirm whether while in office did Delta State Government in 2021 release the sum of seventy one (N71) billion naira to DESOPADEC based on the statutory provision? He should further explain why did Delta State Government budget only thirty (N30) billion naira to DESOPADEC in 2021. N142 billion of 13% Derivation Funds received in 2021, when multiplied 8 years, it will come to about N1.136 trillion.
50% accrueable to DESOPADEC, when divided N1.136 trillion by 2, one will arrive at N568 billion.
The actual amount budgeted to DESOPADEC for 8 years, from 2016 to 2023 will give N248.4 billion.
Furthermore, Okowa should tell Deltans how he managed the balance of N319.6 billion having subtracted N248.4billion fromN568 billion meant for the development of Oil Producing Areas in Delta State.
On a final note the Accountant General of the State then, Cyril Agbale, the Commissioner for Finance, Fidelis Telije, Permanent Secretary of Finance and all the staff in Accountant General’s office should be arrested by the EFCC, to enable the Anti Graft Agency get to the root of the matter.
