By Kassim Omomia
The House of Representatives has demanded that the sum of 4.2millon pounds proceeds of looted funds recovered from a former Governor of Delta State, Chief James IBori be refunded to the coffers of Delta state.
It is also asked that a probe be launched into the recovered fund.
The House passed the resolution while approving debate of a motion sponsored by 10 lawmakers representing the states in the House of Representatives.
The House also asked the federal government to stop forthwith any form of appropriation or disbursement of the funds until the final determination the matter by the House of Representatives.
Debating the motion titled, ‘’Urgent need to halt appropriation of 4.2million pounds looted funds recovered from a former governor of Delta State by the Federal government”, the lawmakers argued that the recovered looted funds belong to the people of Delta state and as such ought to be refunded to the coffers of the state government for the developmental purposes and not to the federal government’s treasury without recourse to Delta state as it was the case now.
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Of concern specially to the state federal lawmakers is discrepancy in the actual fund that was recovered, which they said was a total sum of 6.2m pounds and not 4.2m
“Further worried that from all indications and information to Delta state indicates that the actual money is 6.2Million Pounds and the federal government should ensure that the total of 6.2m is credited not 4.2million as stated’’.
According to the lawmakers, it was proper that Delta is the sole beneficiary of the fund, since it was looted from the state’s treasury and because, there is a precedence of returning seized assets to states where they were looted from, like in the past, as Bayelsa, Abia benefitted from assets seized by the economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC.
They are, however, worried that if the federal government can appropriate the funds without recourse to Delta state government, the people of the state will not only be short-changed, but they will also be deprived of their legitimate resources to improve on the economy of the state and as well provide the requisite infrastructural development for the people.
In addition, the House believes that unless it halts the federal government quickly from tampering with the fund, it may not be accounted for and consequently have any direct bearing on the people of the state.
Therefore they called on the federal government through the Finance ministry to stop forthwith further disbursement of the fund, pending the final determination of the matter by the House, and requested the Finance Ministry as well as the attorney General of the federation to furnish the House with all particulars relating to the recovered money
Similarly, the House directed its standing Committees on Finance, Justice, Loans and Recovered Funds to investigate the matter and report back to the House in two weeks.
