Controversy surrounds N6bn ceded oil wells compensation to C’River SEPTEMBER 11, 2014 BY MUDIAGA AFFE, CALABAR 2 Comments Controversy is currently trailing the alleged release of N6bn to the Cross River State Government as augmentation over the ceding of 76 oil wells to Akwa Ibom State following the Supreme Court ruling of July 12, 2012. Our correspondent gathered on Thursday that apart from the N6bn, an additional N400m is being paid monthly to the state government since June 2013, as augmentation, but Bakassi stakeholders are unhappy that the fund had yet to be used for developing resettlement areas for the displaced persons. Chairman of Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Mr. Elias Mbam, in a letter to Governor Liyel Imoke dated April 3, 2014, noted that N15bn had been proposed to be given to the state from the stabilization account to address the challenges arising from the ceding of Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon. In the letter titled: Monitoring the augmentation to Cross River as a result of the Supreme Court ruling of 12th July, 2012, Mbam said the commission acted on a mandate to use its powers to work out an acceptable threshold to enable Cross River benefit from the stabilization account. However, reacting to the purported release of funds to cushion the hardship on Bakassi returnees, a traditional ruler form the area, Chief Okon-Okon Bassey, said it was shocking to hear that the state had received such money from the Federal Government without initiating moves to properly resettle the displaced persons from Bakassi. Bassey alleged that the issue of Bakassi had from inception been fraught with secrecy, adding that it was unfortunate that the Federal Government that even released such fund that has not been put to use is also not truthful about its intention to properly. He said, “This resettlement issue has dragged on for too long and unfortunately we do not know why the state is lukewarm in resettling the people in the place of their choice. Everything about Bakassi had been fraudulent from the period it was ceded. The Federal Government is aiding and abetting it, that is why nothing is being done.” When contacted, the Paramount Ruler of Bakassi, Etim Okon-Edet, said the state government had yet to brief stakeholders from the ceded area on the receipt of such fund from the Federal Government. Okon-Edet, who is also the Chairman of the state Traditional Rulers Council, said, “When money came in for Bakassi in 2007, the governor informed us that N2bn was released, but that was then. I am still waiting to be briefed on this money that was released so that we chart a course forward for our people.” A former member representing the state in the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Chief Dominic Aqua-Edem, said he was also not aware if such fund was released to the state. He, however, said that the displaced people of Bakassi should be properly resettled. The state Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Etim Kaifas, declined comments when contacted on the telephone. He said, “It is not the best to talk on phone over issues concerning government and money. Maybe when there is the opportunity we could talk about it.”
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 23:50:27 +0000
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