The Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has revealed why he heaped the non-performance of the 2013 Federal Appropriation Act on the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
The governor was quick to attribute Nigeria’s cross-road to the non-practice of true federalism.
Governor Uduaghan had two weeks ago in Lagos State exonerated President Goodluck Jonathan’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, from the alleged budget dormancy by the governors in splinter group of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The group, led by the Governor of River State, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, and six others, accused the Minister of plunging the 2013 Appropriation Act into failure, thereby calling for her immediate sack.
Reiterating his stand in Asaba, the state capital, on Tuesday, the governor maintained that although NNPC was contributing its quota to the development of the country through creating an enabling environment for investors to thrive, it had however been bedeviled with various challenges.
He emphasized that unless states of the federation were allowed to judiciously use the resources flowing from oil to develop other sectors of their economy and create an enabling environment for investment to thrive, the bickering and frequent trips to Abuja to beg for monthly allocation would continue.
While he advocated for true federalism in the country to enable each state control its resources and reduce the challenge posed by centralization of the mainstay of the country’s economy, he explained that resources generated by different states should be managed by them to enable them have enough fund to develop the state.
According to the governor, since it was the responsibility of government to provide infrastructure, peace and enabling environment to promote their policies, the states should have full control of their resources and arrive at an agreement on how much they would remit to the Federal Government as tax.
Hear Dr. Uduaghan: “I believe in true federalism.
“States should be allowed to generate their resources and manage it the way they want for the development of their states.
“The Federal Government should not be the one to determine what a state should get.”
Using Delta State as an example, Uduaghan explained: “The state is looking beyond oil.
“That is why we are developing other areas of the economy.
“We require infrastructure to develop other sectors of the economy, so we are using the oil money to do this.
“Our own is to provide peace, infrastructure and enabling environment for investment.
“Thus is the Delta Beyond Oil initiative.”
Uduaghan further observed that Nigeria was a point of call for investors, adding that a lot of direct foreign investment has been made in the country in the last few years.
He said: “The country has a viable economy, which is the toast of investors worldwide, and as such it is not broke.”
Trending
- OSUN: NANS seeks intervention from Governor Adeleke, threatens protest over fee hike, palliative
- Easter Celebration: IGP orders round-the-clock water-tight security at all public spaces
- Kogi poll: SDP witness contradicts self on alleged ‘affidavit forgery’ against Governor Ododo
- No BoT in Labour Party, spokesman dismisses takeover claims
- Nigerian writer urges preservation of literary heritage amid writer shortage
- Health professionals brainstorm in Abuja, seek drug free society
- CAF announce dates for Champions League, Confederation Cup Finals
- Tayo Ayinde withdraws suit against Gani Adams, restates commitment to peace