Kogi oil-producing status: Enugu’s exclusion from 13% derivation injustice, say Ohanaeze, state

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has faulted the failure of the Federal Government to accord Enugu State, the status of an oil-producing state.

The National Publicity Secretary of the organisation, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, stated this in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Monday.

He said in as much as the group did not begrudge Kogi State becoming an oil-producing state, the exclusion of Enugu State despite its presence in the oil-rich Anambra basin was injustice.

Ogbonnia said this as Enugu State vowed to pursue its inclusion among oil-producing states.

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, had, in a letter by its Secretary, M.B. Shehu, dated August 24, 2021, approved the attribution of Oda River oil well- 1 wholly to Kogi State.

With the development, Kogi officially joined the list of oil producing states and eligible for the 13 per cent derivation fund.

The commission had earlier approved 11 oil wells wholly for Anambra State.


But National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ogbonnia, told The PUNCH that classifying a state as an oil producing state was a necessary, but not a sufficient condition to receive benefits.

He said, “Ohanaeze does not begrudge Kogi State being oil-producing state. What the Federal Government has done is like King Solomon’s judgment when a child was brought before him, but in this circumstance now, three states are involved in that Anambra Basin – Enugu, Anambra and Kogi states.

“The Anambra Basin includes Anambra, Enugu and Kogi states. While the Federal Government has recognised Anambra and Kogi as oil-producing states, it has left out Enugu State.

“It is wrong and there is no justification for leaving Enugu State out of it because if you go to the basin and look at it properly, you will see that the Iga community is within that basin and also some other communities within that area.

“Why should they exclude Enugu State and limit it to Kogi and Anambra? What happens to other communities that have deposits of oil and gas within their subsoil?

“There is no justification to leave out Enugu State and I believe that it will be taken up. We have a senator representing that place and the state government. They have to take it up.

“It is another form of injustice. There is no equity in it. Three groups are competing for the Anambra Basin and the boundary commission has not fully defined the boundary. But no matter what the boundary commission does, the truth remains that the Iga community, which is culturally Kogi, is Enugu State politically. So this is a complex matter, which can be simplified by the Presidency.”


Enugu vows to pursue recognition

On its part, the Enugu State Government vowed to continue to pursue the recognition of the state as an oil-producing state and the payment of the 13 per cent fund.

The state Commissioner for Information Mr Chidi Aroh, stated this on Monday in an interview with The PUNCH

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Soon, oil will become useless and we will see how it goes with the lazy sorry ass Nigeria leaders with no single initiative to create wealth from random resources deposited in their land but already have their mind fixed on oil money to embezel

Enugu is a useless state. Why are they beefing Kogi state?