Wednesday, 31 October 2012

Jonathan wades into oil wells dispute among Anambra, Kogi, Enugu

Govs Peter Obi of Anambra, Idris Wada of Kogi and the Deputy Gov. of Enugu State, Mr Sunday Onyebuchi, whose states are involved in the dispute, were present at the meeting.

The occasion took place at the Presidential Villa.

In an interview with State House correspondents after the meeting, Gov. Obi said it was agreed that

issues concerning the areas where the oil wells are located would be settled amicably.

``We will work together as states of the federation," he said.

Speaking in the same vein, Wada said Jonathan intervened in the dispute by trying to get the National Boundary Commission to do its work in an expeditious manner.

He said the effort of the president was to ensure that ``our people who live in those areas do not get too agitated and take the laws into their hands.

``The president has given the necessary directives.

``We are very happy with the meeting and we are going back very happy to tell our people that Mr President is handling this matter in an expeditious manner and according to the laid down procedures.

``At the end of the day, the matter will be resolved amicably," Wada said.

It would be recalled that Jonathan in August declared Anambra State the 10th oil bearing state in the country.

He said this while inaugurating Orient Petroleum’s Anambra River Production Facility in Aguleri-Otu,

The declaration launched Anambra into the league of oil-producing states, which has Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, Abia, Imo, Ondo, Delta and Edo a members.

The development will enable Anambra to receive extra revenue from the 13 per cent derivation fund as soon as proceeds from oil produced from the state begins to go into the federation account.

However, Kogi and Enugu States are contesting the attribution of the oil wells to Anambra.

Specifically, Kogi has argued that the oil wells, which feeds the Orient Refinery in Anambra, are on Odeke land in Ibaji Local Government Area of kogi State,

Enugu on the other hand claimed that the oil wells were located within its territory.

Colonel Onwubuya, the chairman of the Uzo Uwani Local Government Council of Enugu State, has said that the two oil blocs acquired by Anambra's Orient Petroleum Company, are located in four communities in Uzo-Uwani

 

 

76 Oil Wells: FG seeks reprieve for Cross River



President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday summoned a meeting on the resolution of the loss of the 76 oil wells by Cross River to Akwa Ibom.

Jonathan was represented at the meeting by Vice-President Namadi Sambo, while the governors of Cross River and Akwa Ibom, Sen. Liyel Imoke, and Chief Godswill Akpabio, were respectively in attendance.

Others at the meeting were the Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mr Elias Mbam, and the Director-General, National Boundary Commission, Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed.

A statement issued by Malam Umar Sani, the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media, said the meeting examined the judgment of the Supreme Court on the matter.

``While making a presentation, the Chairman Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission stated that the commission met many times to find ways to advise government on the need to provide succour to Cross River due to the financial discomfort it suffered by the judgment of the Supreme Court.

``The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission Act, especially Section 5, sub-section 7 stipulates that for the purposes of the Act and for avoidance of doubt, where any state of the federation suffers any loss which is outside its control, the Stabilisation Fund shall be used to give succour to such a state,” the statement said.

It said the meeting also examined the new security challenges posed at the Bakassi Peninsula on the loss of innocent lives through the activities of some foreign bodies.

The meeting further noted that as the Green Tree Agreement is nearing expiration and that measures should be taken to address such security challenges.

The vice-president directed that a detailed report with relevant evidence be provided to enable government to act decisively.

Addressing State House Correspondents after the meeting, Akpabio  said the meeting also examined the challenges of insecurity in the Bakassi Peninsular.

 

He said ``for me, it was a very good meeting and we discussed how to ensure that our sister state of Cross River is also happy with the situation, so that the challenges they may be facing may be ameliorated in a way that will show that there is really a sense of belonging to the Nigerian federation.

 

``Re-settlement will continue to be a problem because of some of our people who opted to remain in the peninsula by 2013 when the final withdrawal of who wants to be a citizen and who wants to remain.

 

``I think we still have the problem of influx of people into the country. It is proper that we begin to prepare for refugee crises that may still rare its head outside those who are already here now.’’

 

On the issue of Nigeria buying over the peninsula, Akpabio said the idea would be pursued by the Federal Government ``if the price is not too high’’

 

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