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Bayelsa Faults BudgiT 2022 Report

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The Bayelsa State Government has dismissed the 2022 fiscal sustainability report on Nigerian states released by BudgiT, a publc finance transparency-focused civil society organisation.
The Tide’s source reports that Rivers State tops the 2022 fiscal performance ranking, followed by Kaduna and Cross River, while Yobe, Bayelsa and Benue States sit at the bottom of the table.
The Bayelsa State Government, in a statement released by its Commissioner for Finance, Mr Maxwell Ebibai, questioned the report.
Ebibai faulted the methodology used to arrive at the rankings and noted that it did not reflect current financial standing of the State.
The Commissioner said the report was merely a rehash of the 2021 ranking.
“Our reaction then as now is that not only is this report faulty, but relies on tangential parameters inconsistent with economic fundamentals.
“As before, the current report erroneously depended on opaque data and criteria bordering largely on the ability of a state to meet its operating expenses (recurrent expenditure) with only its Internally Generated Revenue.
“The very notion of creating a dichotomy between “Federal Allocations” and “Internally Generated Revenue” is a misnomer” the statement said.
It continued that the report is “adding insult to painful injury as over the years, we have protested the absence of true fiscal federalism and inequity of the revenue-sharing formula that robs states such as Bayelsa in favour of the collective,” Ebibai stated in the statement.
According to him, it was incomprehensible not to appreciate that oil and gas had produced at a significant opportunity cost to states and that the derivation revenue compensated for such brutal environmental degradation.
He further recalled that Bayelsa State Government protested against the 2021 ranking as being defective for excluding key revenue sources such as mineral oil derivation funds in the analysis, a position the BudgiT team acknowledged.
“We are again bewildered that they returned to this cynical profiling.
“It should be worrisome to BudgiT that the huge revenue that should accrue to Bayelsa from taxes of oil multinationals operating in the state were being paid to states where the companies have their offices domiciled.
“Notwithstanding the disequilibrium, we are happy to state unequivocally that the financial standing and sustainability of Bayelsa State are sound and not in any jeopardy as the government can comfortably meet its obligations, including regular payment of salaries and pensions,” the statement read in part.
Ebibai noted that it was also disturbing that a state with a low debt profile that was effectively managing its financial liabilities would be ranked low against states with a higher debt profile, more so when Bayelsa was clearing its debts.
On biometric capturing of the state’s civil servants, he said that Bayelsa had successfully concluded the process to achieve payroll transparency.
According to him, the government continues to invest in human capital development and empowerment programmes, without neglecting critical financially demanding infrastructure projects such as the Yenagoa-Oporoma Road and Bridges, the Sagbama-Ekeremor Road with seven bridges and the Nembe-Brass Road with 10 bridges amongst other projects across the state that will stir its economic life.
Ebibai noted that states with limited federal presence were inherently disadvantaged with the ranking methodology where facilities such as ports give a clear edge to some states.
He recommended that for a fair analysis and a more comparable measure of fiscal sustainability, BudgiT should expand its indices to cover derivation revenue as IGR in future profiling.
He explained that the Bayelsa Government was in strong disagreement with the ranking and wished to state categorically that it rejected the report.
Ebibai said it failed to rely on key financial instruments that were legitimate, equitable and sustainable.

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Niger Delta

Diri To Deliver UNIPORT’s 35th Convocation Lecture July 25th … As UNIPORT’s Mgt Visits Bayelsa 

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Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, will deliver the 35th convocation lecture of the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State on July 25, 2025.
The State’s Chief Executive gave his consent during the courtesy visit of the institution’s management led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, to Government House, Yenagoa, last Friday.
Prof. Georgewill said the institution was proud to have the Governor as an alumnus, stating that the State under Governor Diri was experiencing rapid transformation as virtually all sectors of its economy had been positively affected by his administration.
The VC also said the institution was pleased to be associated with the Governor and that it was a huge privilege having him as a product of the school.
He appealed to the Governor to consider a legacy project as a way of giving back to the institution, which he noted will also help it cope with the rising number of students and staff.
While accepting the offer, Governor Douye Diri said as an alumnus, he was bound to be part of the institution’s activities.
He commended the UNIPORT management for maintaining excellence in the institution, stressing that education was crucial to development of society.
The Bayelsa number one citizen noted that leaders who fail to invest in education would have to deal with the consequences of crime and criminality, restating his administration’s commitment to developing the sector, noting that society would not progress without education.
The State’s helmsman explained that Bayelsa had shifted focus from paper qualification to science, technical and vocational education, and that the government had already completed tuition-free technical colleges in six out of the eight Local Government Areas, with the contract for the other two awarded.
“If you ignore education, then you have to build more prisons because crime will soar. For us as a government, education is a priority.
“Those of us that had the opportunity must provide space for others. In Bayelsa, we are moving from paper qualification to science and technical education so our people can have skills to be employers of labour rather than being thrown into the labour market.
“We are building science and vocational colleges in every local government area as a policy of this government. School fees, feeding and accommodation are all free. Our educational curriculum needs to meet the needs of our society.
“Coming to your requests, I will be happy to deliver the convocation lecture. If I did it in other institutions, UNIPORT’s should not be different. I also approve your request for a legacy infrastructure in our institution”, he said.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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C’River Commences Inquiry Into NDDC’s Project Inauguration Disruption 

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The Cross River State Government has constituted a judicial commission of inquiry to probe the alleged disruption of the inauguration of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) sponsored project in Calabar.
The five-member commission, which has Justice Emilia Ibok as Chairman, was mandated to ascertain the truth from the divergent narratives in the public domain regarding the disruption.
It has two weeks to submit its report.
The Tide’s source reports that the incident had sparked off intense faceoff between Sen. Asukwo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River Senatorial District, and the State Government over the ownership of some projects in Calabar metropolis.
The acrimony, however, took a dramatic turn, when some youths, allegedly on the orders of the State Government, disrupted the inauguration of one of the projects slated to be performed by the Minister of Regional Development, Alhaji Abubakar Momoh, last Friday.
The fracas that ensued pitched Ekpenyong’s supporters against those of the State Government.
Meanwhile, Ekpenyong has blamed the State Government for the ugly incident.
Reacting to the accusation, the State Government quickly announced the constitution of a judicial commission of inquiry to look into the issue.
The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Anthony Owan-Enoh, said that “following a deluge of allegations of disruption of some projects unveiling hosted by the NDDC, the Governor had constituted a judicial commission of inquiry.
“The commission shall identify the perpetrators and make appropriate recommendations for further disciplinary and/or criminal proceedings to be pursued against identified perpetrators.
“The commission is to conclude its inquiry and submit a report on or before July, 1,” Owan-Enoh said.
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FG Lauds Oborevwori’s Bold Initiatives In Delta 

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The Federal Government has praised Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, for what it described as his proactive approach and bold steps in facilitating key infrastructural projects across the state.
The Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, who stated this during an inspection of the Second Niger Bridge access road, commended Governor Oborevwori for his support in the successful realization of the Second Niger Bridge access road and other critical infrastructure developments in the State.
Speaking to journalists in Asaba during the inspection, Umahi, a former Governor of Ebonyi State, lauded Governor Oborevwori for gazetting the right-of-way for the Second Niger Bridge access road extending to Issele-Azagba, and for personally overseeing the revocation and compensation processes related to affected properties.
“Let me commend, very, very highly, the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, because he has gazetted the right-of-way for the Second Niger Bridge access road to Issele-Azagba.
“He has revoked the necessary properties and he is paying compensation himself”, Umahi stated.
The Minister urged other governors in the country to emulate Governor Oborevwori’s collaborative approach, noting that state-level support could accelerate federal projects and deliver quicker results to local communities.
He said: “I also want to appreciate the synergy between the Delta State Government and the Federal Government on ongoing projects in the state. The proactive approach by the Delta State Government in taking over the payment of compensation to affected individuals has been instrumental in fast-tracking these projects.
“I am confident this collaboration will yield positive results, and I assure the state government that the Federal Ministry of Works will honor its commitments”.
He also commended Governor Oborevwori for the ongoing construction of three flyovers and road expansion projects in Effurun, describing them as “very beautiful” and praising their unique design.
“I love the curves, and I have stolen that design and I am going to use it”, he said, highlighting the innovative flair seen in the projects.
Describing Oborevwori as a man of vision and progress, Umahi said, “he (Oborevwori) has a very large heart and a very progressive mind. No wonder he is with us now. So, I commend him very highly.”
Earlier, during a visit to the Warri-Benin-Asaba Road, Umahi expressed concern over the slow pace of work on the Effurun-Sapele section and urged the contractors to increase their speed to meet the project deadlines.
“Timely completion is crucial, and I expect all contractors to work diligently towards achieving this goal”, he said.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to a mutually beneficial partnership and ongoing collaboration with the Federal Government.
He commended the Federal Government for the 17.6km access road from the Second Niger Bridge linking Delta State, and the proposed concrete rehabilitation of the four-lane, 5km road from Summit Junction to the bridgehead.
Emu emphasized that the economic impact of these projects, once completed, cannot be overstated, and thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Works for their commitment to delivering them.
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