Amidst calls for accountability on the released backlog of 13% derivation on oil states by the Federal Government, the Delta State Government weekend, commissioned a multi-billion naira Floating Market in Delta State.
The facility was located in Warri North Local Government Area of the state on the top of a river bank in Ogheye.
The 2023 PDP Vice Presidential candidate and Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa in company of the PDP national chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, commissioned the floating market structure which was built by his administration.
Following such commissioning in the state, special assistant to the governor on social media, Ossai Ovie Success, took to his official Facebook page to upload pictures of the floating market in the state.
Ossai Ovie Success went ahead to reveal that the floating market has furnished restaurant, two security houses, twin generator house with an electrical changeover placed in every lockup stores and a police station.
According to Ossia Ovie Success, the market covered a space of 70/80 meters, with 90 lockup stores and 86 open stores in it, adding that the market was built in a way that it can withstand any type of wave.
Business Hilights recalls that the calls for accountability had heightened within the nine oil-producing states since it was revealed that they received a total of N625.43 billion 13 per cent oil derivation, subsidy and SURE-P refunds from the Federation Account in the last two years, 2021-2022.
The states that received the refunds dating from 1999 to 2021 are Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers.
Besides, data obtained from the Federation Account Department, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, show that a total of N477.2 billion was released to the nine states as a refund of the 13 per cent derivation fund on withdrawal from Excess Crude Account (ECA) without deducting derivation from 2004 to 2019, leaving an outstanding balance of N287.04 billion.
However, even as Governor Okowa had unveiled the multi-billion naira floating market, Deltans are still inquisitive of giving a clear account of the use of the released allocations.
