13% oil derivation not enough for Bayelsa development – Diri

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa state, Senator Douye Diri, on Wednesday said the 13 percent allocation accrue to oil producing states from the federation account is not enough to develop Bayelsa state and other Niger Delta states, due to constraint in terrain.

Diri, while speaking with journalists in Yenagoa, insisted that the state with its difficult terrain and its abundant resources to the Federal Government deserves more than 13 percent.

He also advocated for the control of resources by various states for even development.

He also promised to tackle the issue of epileptic power supply when he becomes the governor of the state, saying he will seek the federal government’s approval to bring independent power projects to the state to assuage the suffering of the people.

“If Bayelsa is giving so much in terms of resources to the federal government, why are we having 13% which is nowhere near to develop the state, considering our terrain and environment?

“How can the state be maximally developed when we have 13% out of 100% of resources to the federal government? We should be talking about controlling our resources and paying taxes to the federal government.

“We collect a paltry 13% every month end terms of federal allocation; meanwhile bulk of the money is used to develop other parts of the country and we are here struggling and abusing with paltry 13%. That is why I urge Bayelsans to join me in the crusade for abrogation of Land Use Act, because that is what has deprived the Niger Delta from its own wealth.

“You know in Bayelsa, we are sitting on gas, all major oil companies will be engaged to support our state and my government to solve the problem of power supply to our people,” he said.

He promised to continue with the reform in the state’s civil service to ensure that it becomes effective, with constant training and retraining in order to have people who have capacity and confidence to work for the development of Bayelsa state.