Petroleum bill to cater for oil communities

By Elizabeth Archibong

The Federal Government has said the 10 percent equity position to be granted to oil producing communities will be included in the petroleum industry bill which is before the National Assembly.

The special adviser to the president on petroleum resources, Emmanuel Egbogah, told journalists yesterday that the president had approved it, adding that the details were being processed to be sent to the National Assembly.

He said: "The president has approved it and presented it when we had the meeting with the post amnesty group, we are now working on the details to send to the National Assembly for approval so that it will be duly incorporated in the petroleum industry bill which is still pending in the National Assembly."

According to Mr. Egbogah, "This is not a matter of budget but this plan will give 10 percent of our net revenue interest to the host communities over all the entire oil production in the country, provided it is from the oil producing communities. Many people were asking for five percent but now this government is granting them as much as 10 percent. The logistics of the implementation is such that it will take us quite a couple of months to go through all the process to confirm the qualification of all those communities that fall within our guidelines and approve of it. So I will say that you may be correct to say it is about 2010 that we may be able to commence the implementation and that it is part of the plans to make the amnesty programme work."

The Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio, who also addressed journalists on the same issue lauded the decision of the government to give the people of the Niger Delta region a say on how their oil is explored and also thanked the National Assembly in advance for passing it into law.

He said: "The oil producing states have clamoured for years to have a say in how oil is exploited in their areas but Nigeria never listened to them and it eventually resulted in militancy and through the effort of Mr. President today, peace has returned to the region without firing a gun."

The governor lauded the president's initiative and praised the National Assembly for making the amnesty possible. He called on the repentant militants to become ambassadors of peace and help the healing process.

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Reader Comments (8)

Posted by TATA on Nov 06 2009

is there any new benefit that you are listing that has never been listed before...abeg...leave those crazy militants alone...do not provoke them...o

Posted by Deyinka on Nov 06 2009

The issue is not 10 percent issue, rather they are asking for a physical project in the Niger Delta area. All this 10 percent and rest is another means by which the political office holder want to use to enrich themselve and not to the benfit of the masses.

Posted by olumide on Nov 07 2009

Again I ask, who is afraid of giving the Niger Delta 25%. This is what they requested, nt 17%, nt 10% indigenous involvement. Infact, the true test of character and integrity of any president Nigeria throws up in the years to come will be his/her commitment to resource control. Let every state take care of its self first, then contribute something to the federation account. Let's see if the president will not keep an eye on the governors if they have to contribute money into the Nation's coffers. Let's see how many politicians will fall over themselves to govern economically unviable states like oyo and katsina. Let's see if any idiot will form a forum calling for the creation of another state. Give the Niger Delta 50%. This was what obtained before the civil war (Nt sure it was exactly 50% though), so it is not an idea from space.

Posted by Ikechukwu on Nov 07 2009

@Olumide, I couldn't agree with you more. People keep shouting Iwu Iwu Iwu. Iwu has nothing to do with election fraud. When we move to resource control, lets see the fool that will try to rig his way to a lot of all these states that produce nothing. That fool will either starve his people or work his a$$ off to pay salaries

Posted by Ikenna Ezurike on Nov 07 2009

@ Olumide, I believe you did not imply that they are idiots that call for new states in today's Nigeria. Before you use your magic wand to produce that president who shall implement resource control in Nigeria, the people in the Southeast say they must have another state. Whether the new SE state is self sustaining or not should not be the concern of any body. Olumide, the voice of our people in the Southeast is drowned in the National Assembly. We are under represented in any thing Nigeria, apart from loosing money accruable to the SE these are among the reasons we call for a new state in the SE, until you send down that president to implement resource control in Nigeria. Obasanjo could not implement resource control. At his National Political Reforms Conference, apart from the Umaru Dikkos, the fiercest opponents of 50% for derivation came from the Southwest of Nigeria. Only the enthronement of egalitarianism and justice for all shall save Nigeria. Deceit shall lead us no where.

Posted by Ezurike Chidi on Nov 08 2009

@ Olumide, People in the Southeast are asking for a new state so long as that president who shall force resource control on Nigeria is yet to emerge. Whether the new state is self sustaining or not is no body's business. In the present structure of Nigeria, the Southeast is loosing a hell of money to the other zones of Nigeria. The SE is not adequately represented in the National Assembly and any thing to do with the Nigerian federation. Again, remember that OBJ was unable to institutionalise resource control in Nigeria. At OBJ's National Political Reforms Conference, apart from the Umaru Dikkos, many from the Southwest were among the dodged nay sayers to 50% for derivation for mineral producing areas. Nigeria can only be good for all of us when we institutonalise egalitarianism and justice for all its citizens. Deceit and jaundiced opinions shall lead us no where.