Group charges Yar’Adua on security votes

Bolaji Ogundele, Port Harcourt - 23.03.2008

The Federal Government has been called upon to regulate the allocation and the spending of security votes of state governments, as it has become a conduit for siphoning public funds by corrupt state governors, especially in the Niger Delta.

Raising the objection in an open letter to President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, the Grand Alliance of Niger Delta (GAND) noted that state governors, especially in the Niger Delta ,have continued to assign huge amounts to this fraudulent cause and have thereby, continued to loot their state treasuries.

The group, in the letter signed by its president, Prikoly Iwo, also urged the Federal Government to critically consider the removal of the immunity clause from the constitution as it had aided those serving in the executive arm to loot the states and Nigeria unbridled.

The group noted that so much money had accrued to the states and yet, there has been nothing to show for the several billions, much of which it claimed had gone down the drain through security votes, which has not been able to change the security situation in the region.

"The road to peace in the Niger Delta has so many directions, one of such is addressing the issue in context. In our own opinion, we comment that the amount for security votes for Niger Delta governors should be decided by the presidency and backed by law.

"50 per cent of the decided value should be shared to security operatives in their states i.e. Police, SSS, Army, Air force and Navy. 20 per cent of the votes be reserved for the governors and 30 per cent of the votes be accrued to special developmental projects from the presidency.

"Also due to the level of negligence and non-performance of local government councils in the Niger Delta region, it is strongly advised that 20 per cent of their accruals be reserved for special development projects from the presidency", it noted.

On the issue of the immunity clause, the group noted that the original idea had been defeated by the level of insincerity and lack of faith by the executive and called for the immediate exclusion of the clause from the constitution.

It also called on President Musa Yar'Adua to pardon the militant leader who is currently going through trial, Henry Okah, as a gesture of goodwill and desire