By Prince Efe Duku
First, please let’s carefully study the image of the ‘TheCable Index’ attached to this post. It shows that in 2021, the Okowa regime received the highest amount of N142 Billion as our share of the statutory 13% Oil Derivation funds. Again, N142 Billion.
Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers States which came next to us in that order got N91 Billion, N87 Billion and N83 Billion, respectively.
Delta’s share is no doubt huge. We got N51 Billion, N55 Billion and N59 Billion more than Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers States, respectively. Notably, by virtue of a Supreme Court decision, Cross Rivers State gets no oil revenues.
Now, let’s reason together dispassionately, as much as possible.
It is undeniable that Lagos, Rivers, Edo, Akwa Ibom, etc are building visible mega developmental infrastructures. Roads, bridges, metro rail lines, knowledge economies, tech innovation hubs, etc.
Akwa Ibom now has an airline. Even with zero oil revenues, Cross River is now engaged in an ambitious industrial revolution. They also have an airline.
One cannot therefore reasonably and fairly question what the oil (and even non-oil) revenues of the states mentioned above are being used for. They are self-evident.
Suffice to emphasize that several non-oil producing states are making giant steps to modernize their economies. While Kano State led by Dr. Umar Ganduje is engaged in an ambitious partnership with the Federal Government to develop a modern metro rail project, Kaduna State under the Harvard-trained Malam Ahmad El-Rufai is building a $600 million iron ore mining, processing and steel production plant. Steel produced in this plant will most likely feed Dangote’s incursion into automobiles manufacturing as well as attend to other developmental needs in the North.
The bottom line here is that, with or without oil revenues, there is strategic thinking and execution by many states in terms of public governance.
But, can we honestly say the same of our dear Delta State? A system where corruption, ineptitude, mediocrity, nepotism, cronyism, and wickedness are staples on the governance menu.
The impact of the harm arising from these vices is just unbelievable, but all we hear are disingenuous attempts by the architects of the systemic rot to always laughably divert attention to President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja. A President who has consistently paid or released all that is due to Delta to Okowa’s PDP regime of cronies for predictable waste and mismanagement. The end result is a Delta that is permanently underdeveloped, environmentally dirty, plagued by insecurity and always in a state of ruins in the hands of its supposedly educated few PDP cronies.
But why should we bear this daily reality of an agenda of ‘smart nonsense’ instead of good governance that our people can relate to? Why does the Okowa regime think that Deltans ought to join it to constantly celebrate ‘audio projects’? Are we not better than these?
Why must Deltans live with this suffocating culture of corruption, mediocrity and audacity of daily diversionary government lies?
Why the annoying penchant to do nothing with class and then turn around to insult those who disagree with that approach to the serious business of public governance?
I hold the firm view that we are better than the sustained public governance rot that a few unrepentant PDP cronies have foisted on us as a people. The rest of the Nation – even in the South South – is leaving us far behind and the biggest challenge is that these cronies are completely unaware. They have no idea of the generational dislocation their mediocrity and waywardness is imposing on us all.
We must understand the issues in their right contexts and correct the unrepentant error that the few PDP cronies represent in our polity.
2023 is a huge and most viable opportunity to go head to head with them in all departments of politics and overwhelm them. I know a little about what lies ahead and trust God that finally Delta shall be free.
Therefore, let us tell all Deltans at home and in the Diaspora that a New Delta will emerge, and they cannot afford to sit idly as we SAVE THE SOUL OF DELTA in 2023. Let them join the emerging coalition early.
