The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has said that
80 per cent of revenues meant for projects in the Niger Delta region always end
up in private bank accounts.
The South-South Zonal Head of EFCC, Mr. Nnaghe Itam, also
stated that a large percentage of projects captured in the budgets of some
states in the oil-rich region were either not implemented or abandoned due to corruption.
Itam explained that corruption had remained the primary
cause of underdevelopment in the region and even in Nigeria.
He spoke at a stakeholders’ regional conference organised in
Port Harcourt by Social Action, a non-governmental organisation, in
collaboration with the African Centre for Media and Literacy and the MacArthur
Foundation.
The agency’s zonal head pointed out that to achieve any
meaningful development in Nigeria, corruption must be defeated.
Itam said;
“As a commission, the passion of the Acting Chairman (of the EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, is to get rid of corruption in all its ramifications if any meaningful progress or development is to be achieved in Nigeria.
“Estimates of up to 80 per cent of government revenues and budget allocations end up in private bank accounts of approximately one per cent of Nigerians, who are linked to political power.
“As high as 80 per cent of projects mentioned in annual state budgets within the region are either abandoned or never implemented.”
The EFCC head maintained that the commission was
intensifying efforts in advocating continuity of projects by successive
governments.
In her remarks, the Director of Programmes, Social Action,
Mrs. Vivian Bellonwu-Okafor, stated that though over N7tn had accrued to states
in the Niger Delta between 1999 and 2016, not much infrastructural development
was on the ground.
She identified corruption, through reckless management of
resources, as a major problem affecting the development of the Niger Delta
region.
“Records have it that over N7tn accrued to the states and
local governments in the nine Niger Delta states in 18 years from 1999 to 2016,
based on the 13 per cent derivation principle.
“We, therefore, believe that the more significant problem of
the region has not been primarily lack of resources, but rather lack of proper
management or outright recklessness in the manner of deployment and management
of these resources,” she said.
Bellonwu-Okafor said the purpose of the conference was to
promote accountability in creating awareness on mismanagement of public funds
by government officials.
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