A Youth group in Bayelsa State, called the Democratic Youth Watch, DEYOW, has accused the state governor, Seriake Dickson of diverting a loan of N12 billion which he collected on behalf of the state government to undertake capital projects.

The group also condemned the governor for taking credit for the rehabilitation of some internal roads in the state, a project the group said was actually carried out by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

In a statement signed by Ayawei Zikala and Anthony Ebiendu, Chairman and Secretary of DEYOW respectively, the group wants Governor Dickson to clearly explain to the people of the state how he utilized the alleged N12 billion loan.

The statement read in part: “The governor declared the said money at a time civil servants were being owed salaries for several months and when the governor was asked to use the said N12 billion to settle outstanding civil servant salaries, he declined and insisted that the loan was collected to fund projects across the state.

“But after independently inspecting the many abandoned projects across the state, we are convinced that the state government didn’t put a dime from the N12 billion into any of abandoned projects littered across the state.

“Therefore, it is high time the governor began to explain to Bayelsa people how that money was spent.”

The group also pointed out that it was “aware that in an attempt by the state government to cover up for the said N12 billion they have misappropriated, the government falsely took credit for projects being funded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).”

“It is no longer news that the NDDC has since come out in the open to state without any fear of contradiction that the state government lied when it said repairs on all internal roads in Yenagoa were being funded by the restoration government.”

DEYOW said it would continue to demand accountability from Governor Dickson, as it would not “allow our leaders to enslave our future.”

However, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Jonathan Obuebite, explained that the amount in question was N10 billion, not N12 Billion as alleged by the group.

Obuebite also waved off the allegations as another ploy by the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, led by Timipre Sylva, to “paint the government in bad light” and “incite the people.”

He said: “We are aware that Sylva and his army of dishonorable party men have engaged the services of some media organizations to publish damaging details of how the money was allegedly diverted and embezzled by the government.

“For the records the said funds is ten and not twelve billion naira.

“So far the government has spent a substantial amount of it to contractors handling various projects in the educational sector including the ecumenical centre, dualization of Igbogene road, construction of terminal building at the Bayelsa International Airport in Amassoma to mention but a few,” Obuebite said.