News
The Executive Secretary, Anti-Corruption
Network, Hon. Dino Melaye, on Tuesday urged the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, to investigate Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan,
over the alleged questionable spending of over N9.4 billion excess crude fund
that accrued to the state in 2012.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, he said
the anti graft group would, in the course of the week, send a petition to the
EFCC and other relevant anti-graft agencies with a view to providing them with
evidence upon which they would base their investigations.
The former House of Representatives member
said that it was curious that the state would spend over N9.4 billion within
three days of receipt.
He said: “The information available to us
in one of the instances, among others at our disposal, is to say the least
scandalous. This is in regard to the utilization of the over N9.4 billion
excess crude allocation to Delta State received in January 2013.
“This money was spent in almost less than
three days after receipt in such a manner that calls the principles of accounting
to question.
“We will in the course of the week forward
proper petition to all anti-graft agencies. Corruption in all states must
stop.”
Reeling statistics on the alleged spending,
Melaye, relied on a document allegedly obtained from the Office of the
Accountant General of the state which stated that over N279 million was used by the state government to purchase hampers, as well as over N74
million on the maintenance of street lights.
He also alleged that the state government
spent over N1bn on overheads, even though appropriation might have been made
for it in the 2012 budget.
Other spending from the Excess Crude
Account which Melaye questioned also include the construction of
Trans-Warri-Ode Itsekiri Bridge and access road at the cost of N800 million,
award to members of Delta State Contingent to Eko 2012 at the cost of over N330
million and hosting of Senior Course 35 participants of the Armed Forces
Command and Staff College, at over N37 million, among others.
He said that while the chunk of the money
was spent on fictitious projects, some others were bogus and over bloated.
“The desperation to consume the said over
N9bn is unparalleled in the history of the University of Corruption. No
tangible social amenities or infrastructure considered. This is a pattern in
Delta State,” the former lawmaker added.
On the choice of Delta State, Melaye said
he had no personal interest in the affairs of the state, insisting that “the
only agenda Anti-Corruption Network has is to stamp out corruption at all the
levels of governments, be it at the federal, state or local government areas.
He maintained that his group had begun
investigations into the books of some other states, adding that the findings
would be made public after it might have gathered sufficient information.
According to him, the fight against public
graft is one of no retreat, no surrender.
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