By Anne Azuka
Delta State Government has received N14.7 billion in three tranches for the first year, 2022 as part of the funds paid by the Federal Government for 13 percent derivation and deductions from subsidy.
The State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Fidelis Tilije who disclosed this on Monday in Asaba while speaking to newsmen alongside the Chief Press Secretary to the Delta State Governor, Mr Olise Ifekija.
Mr.Tilije also rebuffed claims of mismanagement of N240 billion allegedly paid to the state by the Federal Government for 13 per cent derivation and deductions from subsidy, saying that 12.9 billion would be paid to the state in every quarter for the next four years.
Finance Commissioner stated that the Delta State Government unlike it’s Rivers State counterpart, refused to discount a huge sum of N240 billion owed the state by the Federal Government.
Tilije revealed that the state insisted on receiving monies owed in quarterly tranches from the Federal Government.
He revealed that that the debt was a cumulative of the 13 per cent derivation and deduction from subsidy from the Federal Government.
According to Tilije, “I can say that the total amount of money owed Delta State in two deductions is N240 billion.
“We will not discount monies owed us like some States in the South- South because we do not want to mortgage the future of Deltans”, he stated.
He maintained that Okowa chose to receive the payment of debts in tranches to ensure his predecessor does not experience financial difficulties.
“Okowa does not want the next administration to face difficult financial paucity like he experienced in 2015”, he averred.
Earlier, the Chief Press Secretary to Delta State Governor, Mr Olise Ifekija rebuffed claims that the administration of Ifeanyi Okowa has not been transparent with the finances of the state.
He mentioned that the N14.7 billion received by the stage government alongside the N30 billion bridging finance would be channeled towards ongoing projects across the state, saying that we also approved N5 billion for retirees in the State and the Local Government Areas across the state.
