The exclusion of Akwa Ibom State, one of Nigeria’s major oil states from the N45 billion Special Projects undertaken by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) every month has drawn the ire of the elders of the state.
They, therefore, want the national oil corporation to urgently explain its criteria on the choice of locations and distribution of projects that make it difficult for Akwa Ibom to benefit.
The elders are also wondering why the state has not been considered fit for the location of any NNPC subsidiary.
“Akwa Ibom needs to assume its rightful place in NNPC appointments, employments, PTDF scholarships, Projects and Investment by NNPC. The unbearable omissions are one too many!’’, the elders say.
In a news conference in Uyo on the platform of Akwa Ibom Leaders Vanguard, Senator Anietie Okon queried NNPC on its criteria for choosing locations of special projects that exclude Akwa Ibom, though a foremost oil-producing state.
“The NNPC engages in Federal Government ‘Special Projects’ to the tune of N43 billion from the N16 billion in December causing us to wonder why the Federal Government Project is being executed and paid for by NNPC, from the revenue it should be remitted to the Treasury.
“Some of these shrouded subheads like PMS Under Recovery deductions have witnessed a 62% increase to N45 billion in the same period, what manner of recovery cost the nation so much monthly?
“These ambiguous deductions require explanation even as the locations of the ‘special’ projects must be identified and duly communicated as published in the February 2020 FAAC Executive Summary“, the elders said.
“Our voices shall echo across the nations should current Nigeria continue in this mischievous gyration against her people of Akwa Ibom descent and by extension the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones”, the leaders added.
They then called on the National Assembly to brace up to the oversight requirement and demand answers to the myriad of constitutional gaps demonstrated by a bewildered Executive arm and its appendages.
They are also demanding Executive Orderliness in the appointments, investment, infrastructure, promotion of genuine security for the common good of Nigeria not just for a part of Nigeria in line with the Oath of Allegiance and Federal Character Principle as enshrined in the current constitution.
Okon dismissed the ongoing insurgency and the crisis in the North East as a scam.
They demanded an immediate review of the skewed elements of the constitution as it affects internal security.
The leaders advocated for Community and State Policing as recommended to allow for states to deploy legal structures instead of the self-help that the nation has been consigned to.
Other impending reviews in Power Generation and Distribution, the leaders continued, should be handled by the states while appropriate Resource Allocation/ revenue sharing to help unbundle the bloated executive, reduce its huge governance cost and resulting disenfranchisement of the poor masses of the nation.
They lamented that the depletion of national reserves has persisted despite the pretentious anti-corruption stance of the Nigerian and demanded that the National Assembly and other independent bodies should look into the barefaced unbudgeted emergency expenditures that are fast eating a hole in the nation’s economy.
“Let it be known that the resources as generated mainly from the hydrocarbon deposits in the Niger Delta region has been dubiously channelled into the wasteful prospecting of oil in the Chad Basin and recent day and night construction of Petrochemical Refinery in Daura, Katsina State”, the leaders said.
