The Federal Government says it has disbursed a total of N1.98 trillion as share of the 13% oil derivation backlog paid to oil-producing states.
The Minister of Finance, Budget, and National budget Zainab Ahmed, revealed this on Thursday at the sixth edition of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration scorecard.
According to her, that the amount was paid in seven years.
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The Minister added that the fund was paid despite some of the funds preceding the current administration.
She said:
“One of the key functions of the Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning is to support the states.
“We wouldn’t have been able to grow consistently without enabling the states to grow because it is a federation.
“Mr. President has been very uniquely generous in his support to states. I can say no president has provided the level of support provided to the states of the Federation.
“He understands that the federating units need to work together as one to achieve the targets that he has set for the country. So everybody goes to support sub-national governments.
“In seven years, we have disbursed N1.98 trillion in funds to oil-producing states.”
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, a few days ago, had alleged that the oil-producing states have refused to disclose their share of the 13% derivation arrears paid by the Federal Government from 1999 to all the Niger Delta States.
Ever since Wike made this disclosure, many states have come out to debunk the statement as more controversies have evolved.
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