$5bn Is Missing From Excess Crude Account Say Gov. Amaechi
The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum(NGF) Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi yesterday at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum alleged that $5 billion from the Excess Crude Account as he also demands for explanation from the concerned government agencies.
The retreat was attended by 15 governors, also those in attendance are Aminu Tambuwal, National Chairman of the breakaway faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), aka nPDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, former Kwara State governor, Dr Bukola Saraki, Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, and former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Uwais, also attended and spoke at the event hosted by the Sokoto State governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko.
According to the governor, he said Nigerians should rise up and ask questions on how the nations resources are being managed by the NNPC and the Finance Ministry in a bid to prevent the a Federal Government from short changing the other tiers of government in revenue allocation.
Amaechi said; “The Excess Crude Account in January was N9billion. That account belongs to the federal, states and local governments. Today it is N4billion. We don’t know who took the N5billion. Nigerians need to ask where the money has gone and why their money is being used as private funds.”
While scolding the Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for refusing to sign a loan agreement with the African Development Bank to free $200 million for the provision of water in Rivers State because of alleged disagreement between him and the President.
Amaechi said; “The ADB and Rivers government met and negotiated and they agreed to give us a loan of $200 million to improve water supply in the state. We have all signed our own side of the loan agreement but the Finance Minister, who is highly recognised globally, has refused to sign the document to enable us to draw down the loan to provide water for the people of Rivers State on the allegation that Amaechi has some political disagreement with the President.”
Aminu Tambuwal said; “Nigerian’s federalism is peculiar as no other presidential system in the world has practised the type that is being run by Nigeria. It is unfortunate that the basic tenets of federalism, which we copied from the United States, are not being implemented in Nigeria.”
In the communique signed by Amaechi, the NGF Chairman, the governors noted with dismay the continued conduct of the operations of the NNPC in darkness and the loss of huge revenue by states.
