Shocking: Delta Govt operates without 2017 Budget, ex-PDP chieftain alleges

*Claims non-passage of budget 3 months to new fiscal year

Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

In what can be referred to as incredible and unprecedented, a former chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, has alleged that the Delta State Government is operating the 2017 Budget without the necessary passage from the State House of Assembly.

In an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, Ojougboh, who hails from Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of the state, further alleged that some of the members of the state Assembly confessed to him that up till October 3, they did not see or read a copy of the Delta State 2017 budget.

But the development came as the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Delta State Governor, Mr. Aniagwu Charles, debunked the claims of Ojougboh, saying that the budget was duly passed by state Assembly.

The CPS added that there was no iota of truth in the claims of the former PDP chieftain, saying that Governor Okowa is strictly implementing the budget in accordance with the estimates passed by the lawmakers.

But Ojougboh had in the letter to the president, alleged that the Speaker of the state Assembly, Hon Sherrrif Oborevwori, signed only the last page of the document and returned same to the Government House for next line of action.

The letter, dated October 4, 2017 is entitled: “An Open letter to Mr. President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) on the Issuance of Blank Budget by the Delta State House of Assembly to the Governor of Delta State”.

The letter reads in part: “The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Sherrif Oborevwori, signed only the last page of the budget and returned same to the Government; the Government then fills in the blank arbitrarily and apportions appropriation at will.

“Mr. President, 10 members of the Delta State House of Assembly informed me (in strict confidence; that their names and families be protected) of the high level of fraud that is currently ongoing in their legislative House where they ply their trade as lawmakers. According to them, they were emboldened when they learnt that I had left the PDP on 16th September 2017 and they felt the urgent need to now confide in me that I have left the PDP.

“The Chairman of the Appropriation Committee of the Delta State House of Assembly and the entire members have not sighted the budget break down and estimates as the conventional practice, the actions of the Speaker with the active connivance of the Government amounts to issuance of a blank 2017 budget and appropriation for Delta State.

“Mr. President, I dare any member of the Delta State House of Assembly to produce a copy of the approved budget estimate signed by the Chairman Appropriation Committee, the Clerk and the Speaker, let any member display same on any website.

“I therefore in all humility call on Mr. President who is credited by the International Community not to own a single house and bank account outside Nigeria, who won the presidential general election against an incumbent President due to your anti-corruption credentials to kindly deploy your good offices to cause a thorough investigation into the fraud currently in Delta State through the Blank Budget and appropriations issued by the Delta State House of Assembly by the anti-graft agencies.”

Asking the president to take judicial notice of the alleged hydra headed corruption and impunity in the state, Ojougboh wants Buhari to direct the relevant government agenciesto investigate the above allegation against the Delta State House of Assembly.

He is also asking Buhari to compel the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to probe his allegations.

Ojougboh is a former member of the House of Representatives, former Presidential Liaison Officer to the Senate and Senior Special Assistant to the President, former National Vice Chairman, South South of the PDP and immediate past National Deputy Chairman of the PDP.

But faulting the propriety of Ojougoh’s letter, Aniagwu said the former PDP chieftain’s claims are baseless and unfounded.

Responding to Ojougboh’s claims, the CPS said: “We are very much aware that as the 2019 polls draw near, the likes of Cairo Ojougboh who obviously are intimidated by the modest achievement of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa even in the midst of national recession would resort to outright blackmail.

“Governor Okowa has made it clear that he and his team shall remain focused and committed to the delivery of programmes of Government as spelt out in the SMART agenda.

“But for the records, let’s make it clear that the Delta State House of Assembly, in February 2017, passed the 2017 Appropriation bill of N294, 457, 40, 477billion.

“The break down shows recurrent to be N158, 030,660, 828billion while capital is N136, 443,379,649 billion.

“The passed budget showed an increase of over N23billion from the initial amount of N270, 910,982,233 presented by the Governor to the assembly in November 2016.

“The Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Erhitiake Ibori, who presented the report of the budget before it was passed had this to say: “the committee received and collated inputs, observations and recommendations from the various sub-committees and considered them one after the other, which were used in arriving at certain decisions as proposed estimates were reduced to certain areas to effect increase in other critical areas of specific needs.

“According to her, the reasons for the increase in the budget size stems from envisaged increase in accruable income from the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), owing to the global oil prices increase.

“Hon. Erhitiake also attributed the increase to the Senate approval of USD 44.5 per barrel at N305 exchange rate which is at variance with the state USD 42.5 per barrel at N297 exchange rate in Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) document.

“The Governor signed the passed budget into law on Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at a brief but impressive ceremony at the Exco chambers of the Government House, Asaba.

“Governor Okowa has strictly implemented the budget in accordance with the estimates earmarked by the lawmakers.”