Diri dares FG over N11.67b FAAC deduction

The Bayelsa State Government has challenged the federal government on the N11.678 billion deductions from its federal account allocation over disputed oil wells with sister states, saying the action is illegal.

The state, which recently won a $951million suit at the Federal High Court against the federal government over the refund of 13 per cent shortfall in oil derivation revenue due to the state, said although a lower court had ruled over the matter of illegal deduction of N11.678 billion from the state’s allocation, the federal government should have allowed all the legal processes to be exhausted before making such deductions.

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The technical adviser to Governor Douye Diri on finance, revenue and accounts, Mr Timipre Seipulou, said on Friday during the state’s transparency briefing for March and April 2021 in Yenagoa, that the state government had protested over the issue to no avail.

A statement by the chief press secretary to the governor, Daniel Alabrah, quoted Seipulou as saying that about N939.865million was being deducted monthly from the Bayelsa government’s allocation, which payment is spread over a period of one year.