Bayelsa post flood committee denies ‘diversion’ of N17.5bn

The Bayelsa State Post Flood Management Committee has said that it received a total cash donation of N552 million during the 2012 flood in the state, contrary to claims that N17.5 billion was released for the victims.

A former governor of the state, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, was last week quizzed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged misappropriation of public funds and undeclared assets, including diversion of N17.5 billion flood fund.

• Atiku condemns killings of travelers in Plateau
• PODCAST: Jos Killings: What Is Happening Beyond The Curfew

But the committee’s secretary, Iniruo Wills, stated that his panel received N500 million from the chairman of Globacom, Mike Adenuga.

He also said the Bayelsa State Government, during the administration of Henry Seriake Dickson, released N32 million for administrative expenses and another N20 million for relief materials to the community.

Wills, in a report on the management of the flood fund, said the committee carried out interventions in 350 communities ravaged by the flood.

“The Post Flood Committee embarked on the distribution of relief materials such as mattresses and medical consumables to schools, health institutions and youth corps members’ lodges, while affected communities benefited from food items and other consumables to complement earlier relief efforts by the state’s Flood Emergency Relief Management Committee led by the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Rtd.),” he said in the report.

Wills, a former Commissioner for Environment in the state, further said a total of 140,000 bags of cement were donated to 350 communities to rebuild destroyed houses.

The former governor had said that the state government under his watch did not receive N17.5 billion flood fund in 2012.

“The allegation about flood donation was frivolous as there was no such thing,” he said.

He added that the call of the state government for donations because of the devastating effect of the flood was ignored even by the Federal Government, though some public-spirited individuals donated relief materials.