The Cross River State government has disclosed that it had stopped receiving the 13 per cent derivation fund accruable to oil producing states since 2012.
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Ben Ayade, Mr. Christian Ita made this known while debunking viral media reports which indicates that Cross River was part of oil-producing state that benefitted from the federal government 13 percent derivation fund.
Recall that a statement from Presidency on Friday reportedly listed some states including Cross River as resipients of the fund.
According to Ita, Cross River State stopped receiving the fund in 2012 after the Supreme Court judgment that led to the loss of 76 oil wells to Akwa Ibom.
He said, putting the records right I want to say that report today erroneously listed Cross River State among oil bearing states that get humongous revenue through the 13 percent derivation fund.
“Cross River was deleted from the committee of oil-bearing states since the unfortunate 2012 Supreme Court ruling that ceded the 76 oil wells belonging to the state to Akwa Ibom State as a consequence of the loss of Bakassi Peninsula.”
He maintained that, “That judgement has since thrown Cross River into want and as such listing the state along with the super rich oil producing states is not in good taste.
“If anything, it has expanded the wound of injustice inflicted on Cross River by the Nigeria.”