Governor Approves N25Billion For New Aircraft Despite Rising Poverty, Debt; CSO Calls It Fraud, Financial Recklessness
The coalition criticised Governor Douye Diri and his administration for prioritising the purchase of an aircraft at a time when the state is grappling with financial challenges.
The Bayelsa Coalition for Accountability and Good Governance, a civil society organisation, has condemned the Bayelsa State Government for approving a N25 billion expenditure for a new aircraft.
The group has labelled the decision as an act of financial recklessness and a blatant case of fraud, given the state’s mounting debt profile.
The coalition criticised Governor Douye Diri and his administration for prioritising the purchase of an aircraft at a time when the state is grappling with financial challenges.
According to the organisation, the move is not only ill-timed but also indicative of the government’s disregard for the financial well-being of the state’s residents.
In a statement, Mr Perekeme Oweifa, the spokesman for the coalition, disclosed that the sum of N11 billion had already been spent by the governor for the same purpose, with no visible results.
Oweifa accused the Diri administration of financial recklessness, adding that between 2021 and 2023, the governor received N147 billion in derivation arrears paid to oil-producing states.
He said, “States like Akwa Ibom judiciously deployed their resources for the benefit of their citizens, while Bayelsa State’s resources might have been diverted into the private pockets of the Sampou-born politician and his cronies.”
He said that despite generous allocations through the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, the state’s debt profile continues to rise.
“This is in addition to bank loans worth about N179 billion taken by the governor with no projects to show for it. The Diri administration is characterised by fraud, deceit, excessive borrowing, and ‘squandermania’ without due process,” he said, calling on Bayelsans to protest against the N25 billion loan for the aircraft.
“It is heart-wrenching that Bayelsa State, which ranks 3rd in derivation funds, is the 2nd poorest state in Nigeria. This is unacceptable,” he reiterated.
The DG of Herdadi, Dr. John Idumange, said most of the projects embarked upon by the administration, in terms of development across all sectors, have been inadequate.
He said, “We have it on good authority that the Diri administration is the worst since the resurgence of democracy in 1999.
“Bayelsa State has seen little progress across various sectors, with ongoing infrastructure work at 90%, minimal achievements in tourism, job creation, and youth empowerment, poor performance in health and local government administration, underutilization of the airport, and a significant decline in financial management and internal revenue generation.”
The Coalition, however, calls upon all progressive Bayelsans to stand up and protest against the N25 billion aircraft initiative, warning that the money may be diverted again as with previous projects.
