By; Emma Obe
Governors of the six South-South states have rejected the 2.5 percent equity holding for host communities of oil producing companies operating the Niger Delta region as proposed in the Petroleum Industrial Bill.
The governor’s, who met in Port Harcourt on Monday night, demanded that the share of Host Communities in the companies should be raised to 10 percent.
The meeting, which was presided over by the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, was attended by the governors of Rivers, Nyesom Wike, Edo, Godwin Obaseki, Bayelsa, Douye Diri and the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Moses Ekpo.
They also demanded that the allocation to the Niger Delta Development Commission be paid into an escrow account pending the constitution of the board of the commission.
“We took up the issue of the PIB, the Petroleum Industry Bill which is already before the House and having compared notes with ourselves, we are of the view that while we welcome the Host Community Trust Fund, we do believe that the 2.5 percent that is appropriated in that bill for the purpose of host community fund is inadequate.
South-South Governors, Leaders demand apology from Presidency over botched visit
“We have discussed with our people and collectively as leaders of the people in our various States and as leaders standing in on behalf of our people, we urge that the National Assembly should increase the provision in the host community fund from 2.5 percent to 10 percent in the best interest of our communities, in the best interest of our nation,” Okowa said.
The governors maintained that if the communities feel satisfied with provision of funds for them in the PIB, they are more likely going to be watchdog on behalf of the federal government, the States and oil companies.
“And the peaceful environment that would be seen in the various oil communities would enable us to have greater production and a seamless production in which we do not have any form disruption in our oil productions going into the future,” he added.
Governor Okowa described as worrisome the running of the NDDC in over a year by an Interim Caretaker Committee, and now, an interim administrator.
According to him, this situation does not augur well for the people of the Niger Delta as opportunity for all States to be represented as they ought to be represented in the board of the NDDC does not exist.
The governors demanded that whenever the board of the NDDC is constituted, the advisory council which includes the state governors must be involved to ensure there is check and balance in such a matter that the States will truly have value for money expended by the NDDC.
He said, “A situation where we begin to have emergency projects that possibly will not last three to six months is not right, we don’t feel happy about it and we are urging Mr President to ensure that if the board is not going to be immediately constituted, then funds for the NDDC beyond the payment of salaries should be put on hold until he constitutes the board and the board can now run the finances of the NDDC as per the law creating the NDDC.
Governors, People of South-South demand restructuring, fiscal federalism
“We feel already short changed as a people in the Niger Delta and we believe that we do not wish to see this kind of situation continue going forward into the future ,because our people feel the pains, we do not want a situation where there is an abuse of processes, neither should we have a situation where we have abuse of funds.
“We believe that it is best for both the country, for the states of the Niger Delta and for the people of the Niger Delta when the due process is followed by the reconstitution of the board and also in reconstituting the board, that the reconstituted funds should come in and have funds to spend as per the law.”
