The Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has pleaded with members of the host Oil and Gas Communities of Nigeria (HOSCOM) to maintain peace in the Niger Delta region and ensure their reported planned to attack host oil facilities in the region is nipped in the bud in the overall interest of all.
While pleading passionately with the youths, militants and elders under the auspices of HOSCON, Omo-Agege who represents Delta Central Senatorial district, urged the representatives of the HOSCOM to forgo their reported threats to host facilities, urging them to come to the realization that such an action would further create major economic setback for the country and occasion additional crisis in the socio-economic lives of the very people of the Niger Delta region.
Omo-Agege who doubles as chairman of the Senate Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution implored the delegation of HOSCOM which paid a courtesy visit on him in his office, led by a one -time chairman of Delta State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission(DESOPADEC) and top-Ijaw elder-statesman, Chief Wellington Okrika to work productively with the federal government and the legislative arm in order to advance the development of the Niger Delta oil host communities.
The Deputy Senate President who shared his meeting with HOSCON delegation on his Facebook page wrote: “The leader of the delegation, Chief Wellington Okrika, wants us to intervene in the issues brought before the Federal Government concerning the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB); Gas Flaring, 13 percent derivation payment to the states instead of the oil bearing communities, the 98 billion Naira gas flare fund and the controversy surrounding the Pipeline Surveillance Contract.
“I told them to go back to their people in the Creeks and tell them we are here for them. We are here to champion their request. We don’t want the peace of the Niger Delta to be disrupted in anyway. We are here to protect the interest of our people.
“Yes, I may be the Deputy President of the Senate today but, I am first of all, a Senator representing my people. I am theirs and I will not disappoint them. Our brothers in the Creeks have done well in keeping the peace. Their requests that have been channeled through me have been tabled before the authorities. We shall ensure the right things are done.
“That I come from the oil bearing communities is one of the reasons why I am DSP today given our contribution to the economy of the country. It is therefore only natural that I champion the cause of anything that would promote the interest of the people of the Niger Delta.
“The PIB is a very crucial bill. If properly handled, it would bring a lot of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs). This is the best time to take advantage of the oil we have and the best way to do so is to encourage FDIs and this can only be achieved when the Niger Delta is peaceful. That is why I’m suing for peace.
“The host Community component of the PIB law is of utmost importance to us in the National Assembly and we believe it should be a win-win for all stakeholders. And so, we are determined to ensure that we have an improvement on what we have before.
“I am also confident that we have made a good impression with our colleagues and we would get something favourable for the oil bearing communities.”
Recall that a militant group under the auspices of the RNDA had threatened to cripple oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta region unless its demands, including greater attention to HOSCOM’s call for direct payment of the %13 derivation fund to host communities are met.
The militant group had also expressed umbrage over what it described as an unacceptable injustice being perpetrated against some HOSTCOM communities in the Niger Delta region over alleged inappropriate award of over $40million pipeline security contracts to one Captain Hosa Wells Okunbor, who is the managing director of Ocean Marine Solutions Company (OMS).
The RNDA, in its statement had said it is intolerable, grossly unbearable and highly unacceptable to continue to award over $40million pipeline security contracts to “one single individual named Captain Hosa Okunbor to the disadvantage of HOSTCOM” and other critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta region with the requisite international and domestic expertise, knowledge, skills and capabilities.
The group which canvassed a review of the designated pipeline security contract to allow for greater transparency, more robust community engagement and more stakeholders inclusion also called for a revisit of a variety of subject matters including the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) crisis, payments to host community over gas flaring funds, provision of world-class infrastructure in the Niger Delta region, review of the current revenue allocation formula, among other subject matters.
The RNDA also made a case for a review of the 13% derivation formula, stressing that henceforth derivation funds to host communities should be paid to host communities directly under a new revenue sharing formula that should be put in place.
The statement added in parts: “ “More importantly to the RNDA militant group, we call for an emergency review of the Revenue Allocation Act in other to give proper interpretation of the 13 per cent derivation funds that will not be deposited in the hands of the so- called inhuman wicked corrupt minded Niger Delta governors that have been pocketing the billions of naira on monthly basis from the federation allocation account without getting to the oil producing communities in the creeks of Niger Delta and without any accountability to the long neglected emancipated oil producing communities that are the original owners of the 13 per cent derivation funds , according to section 162 sub section 2 of the 1991 constitution as amended…
“We also called for a review of the four-point agreement with the Host Communities of Nigeria, HOSTCOM, which was submitted to the federal government by the national chairman, Prince Mike Emuh, and has not been approved up till date. The provisions of the agreement which include 10,000 pipeline surveillance jobs to the oil producing communities through the leadership of HOSTCOM has not been approved…
