ALLOCATION OF N13 BILLION TO CROSS RIVER & ACCOUNTABILITY

The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee has allocated a hefty sum of N13 Billion to the Government of Cross River State for the month of July, 2011. This is one of the biggest allocations to the State in recent times. This is a huge sum of money by any standard. But experience has thought me to be extreme cautious because we have a government that is not accountable to anybody other anybody other than itself. We have a government that is built on dictatorship and personality cult. The Governor is a constitutional dictator. The House of Assembly has been turned into a debating society and a rubber stamp. This is why the Governor would buy a rickety aircraft for a whooping nine million dollars and then turn around to lie to Cross Riverians that he bought it for six million dollars?

Meanwhile Governor Rotimi has exposed the chicanery by coming boldly, frontally and positively asserting that he sold the aircraft to Cross River for nine million dollars. The question is: between Imoke and Rotimi who is telling the truth? I believe it is Imoke who is trying to pull wood over the eyes of Cross Riverians over this matter, which is sordid to say the least. In the first place there was no allocation in the State Appropriation Laws for 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2011, for the purchase of this aircraft. Imoke has no told us where he got the money to buy this aircraft. In any case, it is an impeachable offence for the Governor to spend money which is not appropriated in the State Appropriation Law. It is a breach of the provisions of the Constitution.

I am not therefore excited that the State is getting so much from the federation accounts allocation. I can assure you that this money will be squandered on frivolities such as Carnival and the rest will disappeared through mindless corruption and graft. Already the government has not told Cross Riverians why it did with two hundred and forty million naira it got from the Federation accounts when oil wells that were previously given to Akwa Ibom State were returned back. I expect the government to invest this money judiciously on education which has taken the back seat. We also expect the government on invest in the health sector.

I pray that this huge money should be judiciously utilised for the development of the State. It should not be wasted to lubricate the patronage system. It should not be wasted phantom contracts awarded to cronies of the Governor in order to gain their loyalty.



OKOI OBONO-OBLA