Urhobo Nation Says Recovered £4.2 Million Fund Is Delta Money, Planned Dispossession Unjust

By Daniel Dafe, Abraka

The Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) has said that the recovered Chief James Ibori £4.2 Million loot is Delta money, adding that the Federal Government’s planned dispossession is unjust

In a statement by the body signed by the President General, Chief Joe Omene, the socio-cultural body described the move to disposses the people of Delta State of its recovered stolen funds as “an insult to the collective sensibility of the entire people of Delta,” saying that “it would amount to adding salt to the injury of a people who already badly hurt and indeed a double jeopardy.”

UPU continued: “Why is the case of Delta been treated differently? There are precedents of similar recoveries in the past that were delivered to the affected States, namely, Bayelsa and Plateau States.

“The recovered funds no doubt belongs to the people of Delta State as acknowledged by the UK Court in its judgment where it was taken from and not from the Federation account like Abacha’s recovered funds.”

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Adding: “If the concern of the Federal Government for the planned dispossession of Delta State of its recovered funds to develop other projects outside Delta State, and even beyond the South South is occasioned by the fear, though genuine as many people have expressed, that Delta State, practically speaking is still within the clutches of political elements loyal to Ibori, the Federal Government still has countless unfinished and abandoned projects in Delta state.”

According to the statement, UPU suggested that the funds can be used to foot the bill for the Ologbo to Warri Road, Sapele/Amukpe/Aghalokpe/Eku/Abraka to Agbor and Asaba to Warri roads.

Derelict roads leading to vital federal economic assets such as the ports and refineries, federal tertiary Institutions, unrehabilitated federal courts and institutions in Delta State, unpaid Aladja Steel Complex workers, UPU added are some of the few options that the Federal Government has abandoned in Delta since 1999 which the said fund can take care of.

Furthermore, UPU called on all “Deltans to come together to stop this collective insult and ensure that the recovered funds and its use shall be for infrastructural development of Delta state, with a feedback mechanism from International Development Observers to assuage the fears of all stakeholders.”

“Above all, Deltans must rise up and ensure that those who have stolen and are still looting public treasury do not have roles or influence on the politics of Delta State,” the statement added.

Read full statement below:

Recovered £4.2 Million Fund is Delta Money & Planned Dispossession Unjust

The Urhobo Progressive Union views with consternation the unacceptable expressed intention to disposses the people of Delta State of its recovered stolen funds as an insult to the collective sensibility of the entire people of Delta. It would amount to adding salt to the injury of a people who already badly hurt and indeed a double jeopardy.

Why is the case of Delta been treated differently? There are precedents of similar recoveries in the past that were delivered to the affected States, namely, Bayelsa and Plateau States.

The recovered funds no doubt belongs to the people of Delta State as acknowledged by the UK Court in its judgment where it was taken from and not from the Federation account like Abacha’s recovered funds.
If the concern of the Federal Government for the planned dispossession of Delta State of its recovered funds to develop other projects outside Delta State, and even beyond the South South is occasioned by the fear, though genuine as many people have expressed, that Delta State, practically speaking is still within the clutches of political elements loyal to Ibori, the Federal Government still has countless unfinished and abandoned projects in Delta state, including but not limited to:

Ologbo to Warri Road
Sapele/Amukpe/Aghalokpe/Eku/Abraka to Agbor
Asaba to Warri Road

Derelict roads leading to vital Federal economic assets such as the Ports and Refineries.

Federal tertiary Institutions

Unrehabilitated Federal Courts and institutions in Delta State.

Unpaid Aladja Steel Complex workers

Just to list a few options that the Federal Government has abandoned in Delta since 1999. Why does the Federal government want to disposses Delta State people of their recovered funds ?

The UPU, therefore, calls on all Deltans to come together to stop this collective insult and ensure that the recovered funds and its use shall be for infrastructural development of Delta state, with a feedback mechanism from International Development Observers to assuage the fears of all stakeholders.
Above all, Deltans must rise up and ensure that those who have stolen and are still looting public treasury do not have roles or influence on the politics of Delta State.

Signed
Chief (Engr.) Joe Omens, President General, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU)