The Rivers State Government has dared the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to tell Nigerians how much the country earns from crude oil sales.
Rivers also challenged the minister to open up on the quantity of crude oil being produced, its market value and the differential between oil prices.
State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Thursday that rather than speaking on how much Rivers had earned as revenue, the minister should tell Nigerians how many percent of the 2013 budget had the nation’s oil revenue been able to fund.
The state government expressed dissatisfaction over the minister’s position against Governor Rotimi Amaechi, adding that Okonjo-Iweala’s suggestion that the Excess Crude Account was one of the means through which the Federation Account Allocation Committee was funded was misleading and a threat to the nation’s fiscal federalism.
Semenitari partly statement reads, “The Rivers State Government as a policy publishes what it earns from all revenue sources and what it expends as well. Since we have nothing to hide, the honourable minister is welcome to reaffirm these figures for the public as they are already in the public domain.
“What is not in the public domain and what the Rivers State Government has respectfully requested the honourable minister to publish are the following –
“How much oil does Nigeria produce? Where is the differential between the oil pump prices? What price is our oil being sold? How much have we earned from our crude oil sales in the last year?
“What percentage of budget 2013 does our crude oil sales revenue fund? Can the Honourable Minister assist in shedding more light on the subsidy savings since the reduction in petroleum subsidy?
“The red herring of how much Rivers State has received from the federation account can be the matter for another day as right now those figures are not in contest, and the spat against Governor Amaechi is unnecessary.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Rivers state should not divert from the loan they said was collected by them that they are denying
ReplyDeleteWhy did they raise this matter a this while? It seems like political posturing of that has no interest for the betterment of the rivers people.
ReplyDeleteSo that what will happen. Of what use is this knowledge to the common man. what we need to know is how you people in governance can generate money for us without it coming as tax in different forms. Oil money oil money my foot. All that the government is doing is sharing money. when you dont get as much as you want, you cry out as if you care a hoot.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good development? I like transparency. For me, it is the way forward for Nigeria and the parties involved should adhere and open those cans of worms. Its the only way forward - whistle blowing. The only challenge is the Nigerian Judiciary thrives more on small fishes. There is always a way out for the big shots; we even celebrate those ex convicts, those that have miamed even after amnesty, those that have looted our treasury,we celebrate all the ugly and bad guys because most Nigerians love and worship wealth whether ill gotten or not. Gov. Amechi once made his mark but now he is going down and drowning. No one wins against the big man. Gov. Amechi stifled all opposition in Rivers for some years. He is crying foul because the opposition has come up strongly and against him. This what I want in Nigeria - I don't care whether its PDP or APC or whatever. They are all the same otherwise why APC openly welcome same people they have always called the bad guys. Are they now the good guys because they are in APC? What stops same rancour from happening in APC? Nigerians are watching and for me, Goodluck is still the man. I know they r serious forces against him plus his wife( distraction every now and then). I will pray for you always. I know people up there who believes leadership is theirs r up 24hrs to stop you instead of all of us working to make Nigeria a better one. God bless President JEG! God bless Nigeria!! - Nedum Chris
ReplyDeleteNa today amaechi wan ask qstion....naija........who dey decive who
ReplyDeleteAmaechi we are tired of u in the news everyday. Please do ur work. In less than two years your tenure will be over. Less the noise and concentrate and see if u can finish the monorail as u promised.
ReplyDelete