By Ehigimetor Igbaugba
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers says his administration has received N45 billion only from the federal government as Bakassi stabilisation fund.
Mr Christian Ita, Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, made this known in a statement made available to newsmen in Calabar on Saturday.
He said that the money was the sum total of the N500 million monthly that had accrued to the state in the 91 months old administration of Ayade.
This clarifies the claim by Chairman of the Revenue Allocation Mobilization and Fiscal Commission (RAMFAC), Mr A.M. Shehu, that the federal government pays the state $500m monthly.
Ita, however, noted that the federal government had been paying the N500 million monthly stabilisation fund to the state for ceding of Bakassi Peninsula and the attendant loss of oil wells since 2008.
In the statement, Ita said that it was proper to set the record straight because of the insinuation that the state had been receiving 500 million US dollars monthly.
According to Ita, “The attention of the Cross River State Government has been drawn to a video of the appearance of the Chairman of the Revenue Allocation Mobilization and Fiscal Commission (RAMFAC), Mr A.M. Shehu, on Channels Television’s Sunrise Programme.
“He claimed the Federal Government pays $500 million monthly as stabilization fund to the state for the ceding of Bakassi Peninsula and the attendant loss of oil wells.
“We strongly believe the commission’s chairman misspoke because as a state we are not aware of, and have never received $500 million as a stabilisation fund from the federal government.
“However, if Mr Shehu was referring to N500 million as against the $500 million which he claimed, then there is nothing new about it.
“The fund has been in existence since 2008, long before the coming to office of Governor Ben Ayade-led administration.”
According to Ita, Cross River has so far received N84 billion for 168 months while Ayade’s 91 months old administration got N45 billion from the amount.
(NAN)
