Bayelsa Transparency Monitors (BTM), a social-political organisation, has threatened to drag the Federal Government to court if the incessant deductions from Bayelsa State monthly allocation continues.
The BTM wants the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee to stop the deductions until the state’s allocation improved.
The Director-General of BTM, Mr Ephraim Dorgu, while issuing the threat in Yenagoa on Friday said that “the unsubstantiated deduction by FAAC has slowed down the level of service delivery in the state as most projects are yet to be completed, while the government struggles to pay salaries of civil servants”.
Time For Justice
Mr Dorgu explained that after a careful independent investigation by BTM, it was discovered that the funds being deducted seemed to be deliberate, as it had continued to linger since the inception of the current administration.
“We are perplexed at the outrageous deductions by FAAC. I mean when you look at it, you will discover that they are meaningless and when you see the deductions, you will realise the government is not aware of it,” he added.
Dorgu called on the state government to “seek redress in court concerning the issue and also to find out those who are benefiting from it”.
He said: “If the Bayelsa State government refuses to go to court on the matter, BTM will do so on our own accord because we strongly believe from every obvious reasons that FAAC is doing so deliberately.
“This whole thing is unfair. We have listened to government officials during the monthly transparency briefing lament on the issue. We have followed it up and, for us as a group, it is time for justice. If the government is not willing to go to court, we will go to court for the sake of the State”.