DELTA State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to prudence, accountability and transparency in the management of public resources, saying his administration had continued to invest heavily in projects that are visible and open for verification, in critical sectors, such as healthcare, education and other social infrastructure across the state.
Oborevwori stated this on Monday, June 15, while receiving a delegation from Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC), led by Mohammed Kabir Usman, and the Federal Commissioner representing Delta State in the Commission, Aruviere Martins Egharhevwa, at Government House, Asaba, at the commencement of its nationwide Data Verification Exercise in the state.
The governor said: “We remain conscious of the need for prudence, accountability and transparency in the management of public resources.
“As a government, we have massively invested in hospitals, schools and other social infrastructure which have improved the indices of the state in the country.
“We are not just saying it; you will see it. As you go around the state, you will see what we have done. I can boldly state that in Delta State, we have been working round the clock across the 25 local government areas.
“We are doing projects in roads, schools, hospitals and other sectors. They are there for you to verify.”
He assured the Commission of the state’s full cooperation, noting that all relevant ministries, departments and agencies, as well as the 25 local government councils, had been adequately briefed ahead of the exercise.
Oborevwori urged the RMFAC team to physically inspect projects and facilities rather than relying solely on documents presented to them, saying Delta State, as a major contributor to the country’s revenue, expects a fair and objective assessment based on verifiable records and existing infrastructure.
Earlier, Usman said the delegation was in the state to formally launch the nationwide data verification exercise aimed at updating and validating data used in revenue allocation among states and local governments.
He explained that the exercise was in line with the Commission’s constitutional mandate to continuously review the revenue allocation formula to reflect changing socio-economic realities across the country.
Usman noted that population dynamics, infrastructure development and emerging developmental challenges made it necessary to periodically verify the data underpinning revenue allocation indices.
He disclosed that the Commission had previously trained state and local government officials on data gathering and management and had also digitised its data collection process to enhance accuracy and efficiency, and that the team would work closely with ministries, departments, agencies and local government authorities to ensure credible data collection that accurately reflects realities on the ground.
Usman stressed that the outcome would have significant implications for both the federation and individual states, as accurate and comprehensive data could positively impact future allocations.
Usman assured the governor that the verification exercise would be conducted with professionalism, transparency and fairness in accordance with national and international best practices.
He commended Oborevwori for what he described as remarkable achievements in infrastructure and urban renewal across the state.
