VANGUARD NEWS

THE Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, regional body of the coastal states of the Niger Delta, yesterday, demanded increase in oil derivation from 13 per cent to 50 per cent, vowing that the “satanic and legislative coup” against Niger Delta region by 59 members of the House of Representatives to change the Constitution cannot stand.

Recall that some members of the House of Representatives have proposed through a bill to delete Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to enable payment of 13 percent derivation directly to the host communities through the Host Communities Trust Fund as provided in the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, rather than governors of the oil producing states.

Convener of the South-South Reawakening Group, SSRG, Joseph Ambakerderimo, lawyer and rights activist, Inibehe Effiong lambasted the sponsors of the bill, saying they were narrow-minded in their reasoning.

But National Coordinator South-South Elders Forum, HRH Anabs Sara-Igbe and Spokesman, Niger Delta Rights Advocates, Darlington Nwauju, disagreed, maintaining there was nothing immoral with the bill.

However, some others, including renowned environmental activist, Alagoa Morris and former Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Peter Umoh, called for caution in handling the matter.    In a communique by National Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Essien and five other officials, PANDEF condemned the obnoxious and satanic Bill.

Other signatories were Chief Thompson Okorotie, Deputy National Chairman, Bayelsa State; Senator Bassey Ewa- Henshaw, Cross Rivers State chairman; Prof. G. Darah, Delta State chairman; Dame Betty Igbeyi, Ntional Woman Leader, Edo State; and  Prof. B. Fakae, member, BoT, Rivers State

The group said: “The position of the Niger Delta people is 50 per cent derivation, and nothing less.

“The Niger Delta people are ready and mobilised to dispense full resistance against this wicked machination and any future attempt to further economically emasculate the region and its people. We will resist this satanic and senseless coup with every fibre in our being. If they move one more step, we will respond in kind.

“President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly should focus attention on addressing the fundamental issues confronting the country, instead of further stoking the ambers of discord and disharmony.

“The extant 13 percent derivation has not been reviewed for 22 years, despite the constitutional provision for review of revenue allocation every five years, to reflect changing economic realities.

“Consequently, we demand an immediate increase of the 13 percent derivation to 50 per cent,” it said.

Recipe for disaster, says Ambakederimo            

Ambakederimo told Vanguard in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State: “The bill as proposed for Host Communities Trust Fund to become the beneficiary on behalf of the communities is a recipe for disaster across the Niger Delta region. The sponsor(s) of this bill do not appear to understand what their actions are about to cause.

“Yes we agree that the governors have not been able to truly account for the expenditures of the 13 percent derivation money, is it the communities or the host communities trust fund that could properly manage such monies to the benefit of all?

“I tell you if such comes to be, then the bandits operating in the northern part of the country would be a child’s play. It is still not known how best we are going to manage the three percent allocated to the Host communities Trust Fund in the PIA.”