A report by Niger Delta Citizens and Budget Platform, (NDCBP), a non-governmental budget monitoring group in the Niger Delta, has rated the four core Niger Delta states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers low in their 2009 budget performance.
Presenting the report entitled, ‘Beyond Amnesty: Citizens Report on State and Local Government Budgets in the Niger Delta’, to newsmen in Yenagoa, the group coordinator, Ken Henshaw, stated that the report was arrived at after a budget monitoring and analysis exercise carried out in the states to assess their budget performance.
According to the budget monitoring group, receipts from the Federation Account on the basis of 13percent derivation placed the Niger Delta states among the highest earning states, however, noting with dismay that such receipts have not translated into tangible improvement in the life of residents of these states.
NDCBP said the 2009 budgets of the four Niger Delta states including the local government councils lacked credibility, pointing out that there was a continuation of profligate spending on unaccountable ventures such as security votes, general administration and the maintenance of offices of state governors and local government chairpersons, instead on social programmes and investments that would boost production of goods and services in the non-petroleum sectors of the economy.
The group further decried that a culture of corruption, fiat, non-implementation of the budgets, citizens alienation from the budget process, and the spending on projects that do not satisfy the needs of the people had culminated into excruciating poverty and increasing resistance thereby turning the states into theatres of conflict.
“In the states of the core Niger Delta, as in other states in Nigeria, matters of budget and other fiscal issues are treated with utmost secrecy, and are the exclusive preserve of political office holders and a few civil servants. Budgets documents are not made available in the offices, websites or even public libraries in these states and requests are viewed with suspicion.”
Commenting on the over-dependence on allocations from the Federation Account, the group pointed out that state governments neglected the exploration of internally generated revenue in spite of the uncertainties that characterised global oil prices and its attendant shortfall in oil revenue.
While urging governments at all levels and citizens organisations to make budgets relevant to the needs of communities by minimising mismanagement of public resources, NDCBP also advocates commitment to Electoral Reforms to provide fresh opportunities for democracy, while citizens continue to monitor budgets to expose inherent gaps.

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