Abia State Government has appealed to the Federal Government to implement the findings of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) Oil Wells Verification Committee by paying to the state, full revenue from the 53 oil wells located in the state.
According to the state government, the allocation it has been receiving was based on revenue from only nine oil wells while the rest was shared equally between Abia and Rivers states, a situation it described as unacceptable.
Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu appealed for redress while receiving the comprehensive Data Analysis of oil wells located in the state which was prepared by the State’s Ministry of Petroleum and Solid Minerals.
He stated that with the verification of oil wells by RMAFC which has removed any doubts that the said oil wells were located in Abia, full proceeds due from the oil revenue should now be paid to the state.
Kalu pointed out that denying Abia its legitimate share of the oil revenue was an injustice, adding that he has been fighting this injustice since 1999.
“I know that the 53 oil wells belong to Abia but the revenue do not come to us. I have been fighting for this since 1999 and I am still fighting for it,” he said, adding. I appeal to the President and Commander-in-Chief, the Nigeria National Petroleum Company and RMAFC to implement the findings of the Oil Wells verification committee by crediting revenue from these oil wells to the state.”
The Abia state chief executive commended the ministry for the documentation and the verification committee for a good job and oil-bearing communities in the state for being peaceful despite the prevailing injustice. While urging Abians to continue to remain law-abiding, kalu expressed hope that justice would be done in due course.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Petroleum and Solid Minerals, Prince Ezekwesiri Ananaba, had explained to the governor that the document contained Data Analysis of functional oil wells and oil fields in the state.
“At presently, there are 53 functional oil wells in Abia State and these oil wells were verified in the year 2000 by RMAFC and May this year,” he said.
Ananaba explained that 44 oil wells were located in Imo River Oil Field, five in Obigbo North Oil Field and another five in Isimiri Oil Field.
He also said that Abia hosts three flow stations operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company as well as two compressor gas plants, adding that all these were located in communities in Abia State.
Oct72006