“Ex-Lawmaker Dr. Farah Dagogo Slams Niger Delta Governors Over Mismanagement of 13% Derivation Funds”
Dr. Farah Dagogo, a former member of the House of Representatives from Rivers State, has sharply criticized the governors of Niger Delta states for their handling of the 13% derivation funds allocated for oil-producing communities. Dagogo highlighted that despite the Niger Delta receiving trillions of naira over the past 23 years, including over N600 billion in the first half of 2024 alone, there has been no significant improvement in the living conditions of the local communities.
In a statement released by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Ibrahim Lawal, Dagogo expressed frustration that these substantial funds have not led to improvements in infrastructure, health, or general welfare. He noted that while the Federal Government has consistently increased the allocation, the region’s challenges persist, including severe poverty and inadequate infrastructure.
Dagogo criticized the governors for what he described as a lack of accountability and transparency, accusing them of treating the funds as a source of personal gain rather than addressing the constitutional purpose of improving conditions in oil-producing areas. He called for a thorough investigation into the expenditure of these funds and urged the current governors to correct the mismanagement of the past.