Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, the governor of Rivers State, has urged the federal government to pay oil-producing states their 13percent derivation of the $1billion withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account by the Federal Government to fight insurgency.
Wike, stated this on Sunday at Government House Port Harcourt during the presentation of the Leadership Newspaper Governor of the Year Award 2017 to him by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani. The speaker represented him at the event.
Wike explained that it is mandatory for the constitutional procedure to be followed while stating that he has been officially approached to lobby the Rivers State House of Assembly to approve the resolution mandating the withdrawal of the said funds.
Wike, however, maintained that Rivers State Government is not against the fight against insurgency, but added that issues which require constitutional procedures must be respected.
Wike who also informed the Rivers State House of Assembly members of the refusal of the APC Federal Government to release budget support fund to the State Government, when all other states have received the fund, said that all the negative actions against the Rivers State Government are targeted at denying the State the balance of the Paris Club Refund.
He said that criticizing the federal government has culminated in states being denied funds, adding that the claims by the federal government that it is fighting corruption are false.
He commended the Rivers State House of Assembly for their support, urging them to stand firm as the state approaches election era.
The governor said that the numerous successes recorded by the state are due to the sacrifices of the people in the face of dwindling resources.
