BY ANDREW IKEHI
THE Delta State House of Assembly (DTHA) yesterday, approved a request by the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori for the appointment of a financial consultant to the state government, Tiaras White Consults Limited for the review of the utilisation, reconciliation and recovery of all dividend paid by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas company (NLNG) due to the state from year 2000 to 2023.
The State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, through a letter addressed to the State Assembly, intimated lawmakers of the state government’s intention to engage the financial consultant.
In the letter read at Wednesday’s plenary by the Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, the state governor disclosed that the decision to engage the financial consultant for the assignment was reached few weeks ago during the State Executive Council Meeting.
The Governor’s letter read in part; “I convey warm greetings to the Honourable Speaker and the members of the State House of Assembly and inform you of the engagement of Tiaras White Consults Limited as financial consultant to Delta State Government for the review of the utilisation, reconciliation and recovery of all dividend paid by the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG), but not remitted to the Federation Account for allocation as prescribed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“It is pertinent to state that the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) negotiated on behalf of all 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, and recommended that a nine per cent consultancy fee on the recovered amount be paid to the appointed consultant -Tiaras White Consults Limited.
“Accordingly, nine per cent inclusive of all taxes on the total amount recovered and received by the Delta State Government would be deducted at source from office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, as consultancy fee to Tiaras White Consults Limited for its services”. Motion for the approval of the Governor’s letter was moved by the Majority Leader, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi and was unanimously adopted by the House.
