Speaking today Monday, May 4, 2015 in a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) monitored live radio programme in Abuja, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Dr. Stephen Oru denied allegations that he donated the sum of N2 billion naira to the President’s reelection campaign.
He was accused of this by a group of Niger Delta Youth who were sponsored to Israel for training in agriculture who alleged that instead of the ministry to fully redeeming all promises made to them, their appeals had been dismissed with the minister stating that he had used the alleged sum to fund the President’s campaign and so he had no money.
Oru dismissed their allegations and said they were being mischievous as they were determined tarnish his image and that of the President. He also said the Niger Delta Ministry, which was allocated N51.6bn in the 2014 appropriation, was yet to receive its third and fourth allocation from the Federal Ministry of Finance.
He further explained that it was therefore not possible for the ministry to dole out a non-existent N2bn to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), presidential campaign. The minister, who assumed office in July 2014, described the financial situation in the ministry as precarious, citing cases of huge debts and unpaid salaries.
According to him, he has received only three months salary since assuming office as the Niger Delta Minister in July 2014. The minister appealed to Niger Delta youths who participated in the Federal Government sponsored training programme in Israel on agriculture to exercise patience on the disbursement of their take-off grant.
The minister assured the prospective entrepreneurs that the incoming government would not terminate the training programme as it was a laudable initiative domiciled in the ministry.
