Amaechi Got N257bn From Excess Crude Account In 2013 – Okonjo Iweala

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, minister of finance and
coordinating minister of the economy, says
Rotimi Amaechi, governor of Rivers state,
received a total of N N257.6 billion from the
federation account between January and
October 2013.

Okonjo-Iweala said the governors' forum had no
basis asking her to account for $20 billion from
the excess crude account (ECA) because details
of the ECA are published every month.

She added that the ECA is discussed at every
monthly session of the federal accounts
allocation committee (FAAC), where all the state
commissioners of finance are usually present.

"Rivers received N257.6 billion from the
Federation Account between January and
October 2013," she said in a statement issued by
Paul Nwabuikwu, her spokesman, in Abuja on
Tuesday.

"The statement by the governors is totally
strange because Federal Accounts Allocation
Committee (FAAC), meets every month and the
ECA is discussed at every session with all the
state commissioners of finance present.

"Nothing is hidden. At these meetings, the
Minister of State, who is the Chairman of FAAC,
announces the balance in the ECA which is then
discussed."

The minister directed governors who need
further explanation on the account to consult
their commissioners. Okonjo-Iweala added that
Amaechi, who read the communiqué of the
governors early on Tuesday, made
unsubstantiated claims that N5 billion was
missing in 2013.

"Governors who want any information about the
ECA should ask for details from their
commissioners who should have the records of
what was discussed and agreed upon.
"Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, who was
reported to have read the communique on
behalf of the governors, made a similar
unsubstantiated allegation in November 2013.

"He alleged in November 2013 that $5 billion
was missing from the ECA but we subsequently
showed with facts that the amount was not
missing."