Okonjo-Iweala Chasing Shadows – RSG …Says Yet To Address Begging Issues

The Rivers State Government has urged Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonji-Iwela, to respond to the issues raised by Governor Chibuike Amaechi on the management of the Excess crude Account and also, how much oil Nigeria produces and the price of oil sold, rather than chasing shadows.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Semeniateri Ibim noted that the points raised by Governor Amaechi were very salient and in urgent need of elaborate response by the Minister adding that the Minister also needs to tell Nigerians how much has been earned from crude oil sale in the last year as well as the differential between the oil pump prices. “Okonji-Iwela should also explain to Nigerians by publishing the  percentage of budget 2013 of our crude oil sales revenue find,” she said.
Semenatari expressed worry over the unclarified response of the Minister to Governor Amaechi’s concern over the management of the excess crude Account during the second retreat of Nigeria Governor’s Forum in Sokoto noted that rather than clarifying the issues raised by the Chairman of the Governor’s Forum, the Minister was simply muddling the waters.
The Commissioner explained that the Minister’s claim that Rivers State received N56.2 from the Excess Crude Account as statutory allocation was a well known fact and urged Mrs Okonji-Iwela to assist in shedding more light on the subsidy savings since the reduction in Petroleum Subsidy.
“All state governments receive their statutory allocation from the federation account and the Rivers State government is no different”, the Commissioner said adding that the National Economic Council’s (NEC) agreed that the savings in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) belonging to the states must not be touched, except when the appropriate processes have been followed.
She said it is misleading and a threat to the nation’s practice of fiscal federalism for the Minister to suggest that the ECA was now one of the means through which the FAAC is funded.
She noted that as a policy, the Rivers State Government publishes what it earns from all revenue sources and what it expends and challenged the Minister to be courageous enough to make the figures public.
“The Rivers State Government therefore most respectfully wishes to request Madam Minister to please answer the questions it has raised and clarify the issues for Rivers people”.

Chris Oluoh