Piqued by alleged dominance of northerners in the allocation and distribution of oil blocks in the country, some leaders from the South-South region have expressed reservations that the situation has negated the principle of equity, justice and good conscience.
Under the aegis of South-South Chiefs, Elders and Opinion Leaders Association of Nigeria, the group said it is also against the principle of federal character to distribute the common wealth unevenly among the federating states, noting particularly the allocation of oil blocks to northerners at the expense of those from the oil bearing states.
Speaking in Silverbird’s 93.7 FM interactive radio programme, View Point, in Port Harcourt on Saturday, the group alleged that after an extensive investigation, it found that 83 percent of oil blocks have been allocated to emirs and other individuals from the northern part of the country.
Represented at the radio programme by the National President, High Chief (Dr) Omubo A. Harry and National Director of Projects, Cyril Harry, the group said the situation became more worrisome against the backdrop of acute poverty and degradation ravaging the oil-bearing communities, which they described as the goose that lays the golden egg.
“We are One Nigeria and that is why the principle of federal character is enshrined in our constitution. But when it comes to allocation and distribution of the nation’s wealth, what we see beat our imagination and raise the question if we are still One Nigeria.
“Of course, we are One Nigeria and so shall it be. We in the South-South are not saying you must give us everything, no far from that. What we are talking about is equity and fairness. If there are 18 marginal oil fields for instance, it should be distributed according to federal character. The oil blocks should be distributed evenly, so that no zone feels cheated”, they opined.
The royal fathers who emphasized that theirs is a non-political association, expressed angst over the apparent silence by the National Assembly to pass into law, the PIB which recommended allocation of 10% oil revenue to host communities, saying it has counted it as one of the wrongs done the people of Niger Delta by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
They also expressed concern that appointments into senior offices of the NNPC were done to marginalize people of the Niger Delta.
“Of the 16 positions available in the NNPC, 11 have been given to northerners while some of our people who headed some of the senior positions were either retired or redeployed to unimportant positions”, they claimed.
While calling on representatives of the South-South region at the National Assembly to table these concerns at the Senate and House of Representatives chambers respectively, the chiefs also stressed the need for improved security in the region following alleged incessant raids and killing in farmlands by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
