From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
The People’s Democratic Party, PDP in Cross River State, has called for transparency and accountability in the revenue inflow into Cross River State which it estimates at over 220 billion naira.
Mike Ojisi, the Publicity secretary of the party disclosed this in a statement made available in Calabar.
Ojisi said his party notes with appalling concern Governor Otu’s inability to judiciously account for funds that has entered the State coffers as part of intervention fund released by the President to cushion the effect of the economic crunch beleaguering the nation.
According to the party, “consequent upon the removal of Fuel Subsidy by the Tinubu’s administration and the subsequent meteoric increase in Federal allocation and other sundry intervention funds accrued to the state, Otu’s administration has received over #70billion as Palliative/Intervention Fund, which is different from the over #150billion received as monthly allocation between May 2023 to July 2024.
“For emphasis, the NG-CARES Program with a financial arrangement called Program-for-Results (PforR), has provided over 31billion Naira to Cross River State for five platforms namely; Cash Transfer, Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), Enterprise Development Fund, FADAMA, and Public Workfare. Despite receiving over #31Billion between December 2023 and June 2024, Governor Otu has failed to account for the funds or provide tangible results.
“Additionally, the state has received three tranches of Electronic Money Transfer (EMTL), each not less than #7billion, as well as billions from import duty, Companies Income Tax (CIT), Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), and Customs External Tariff Levies (CET)”, the party said.
The party tasked the government to live up to his own “People’s First” mantra as the lack of transparency and accountability in his government is alarming.
The APC lead administration in the state has yet to formally react to these allegations.