GOV UDUAGHAN URGED TO ACCOUNT FOR N2.6BN

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has been urged to account for the whopping sum of N2.6 billion which was earmarked for the supply of diesel for streetlights in Warri and Asaba in this year's budget.

Regional spokesman, Positive Alliance for the Niger Delta, Mr. Martins Mukoro, who made the request in an exclusive chat with Daily Sun at the weekend in Warri, wondered why such a huge amount was earmarked for the fuelling of streetlights in the two major cities of the state.

Mukoro described the money as a monumental waste lamenting that part of the amount could have been used for other basic amenities across the state.

'The regional body can question any state governor who misappropriates the state's fund.

Our contention is that, why should government budget such a huge amount on fuelling of streetlights when workers of colleges of education are owed salary of four months, just as other areas of the economy are also suffering,' said the spokesman and urged Governor Uduaghan to wake up from slumber.

According to him, the body whose membership is drawn from states that make up the Niger Delta region was poised to partner with Nigerians, governments, companies and other bodies to fight corruption in all its ramification.

'Our organization is out to correct all forms of evil, such as election rigging, pipeline vandalism, kidnapping and all forms of ill capable of derailing the economy of the region,' stressed Mukoro.

On the forthcoming election, the body pleaded with INEC to embark on positive measures aimed at educating the public on the need to abhor manipulations during the 2011 elections, adding that Nigeria should be a shining example to other African countries. 'We challenge INEC to produce a system of voting that will be acceptable to the people because rigging is being done with impunity, in connivance with INEC officials and security agents' said Mukoro, maintaining that there must be sanity in next year's election.