Governor  Emmanuel Uduaghan

James Emejo

Oil producing communities in Delta State have joined the increasing agitation for constitutional amendment that will enable the host oil and gas communities secure 13 per cent derivation funds directly.

The group said this was the only way to avert constant crisis stemming from the mismanagement of derivation fund by state governors.

Their agitation was contained in a memorandum submitted by Delta State Oil and Gas Producing Communities to the Senate Committee on the review of the 1999 constitution, a copy of which was made available to THISDAY. The memorandum was signed by five prominent people from Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities.

The group said the proposed derivation board should comprise the host communities which would manage the funds received in accordance with the quantum of production of each ethnic nationality.

It said: “The derivation board will have a chairman and a secretary and members of the board. We suggest that the federal and state governments should have an ex-officio member each on the board, while the secretary will be supported by needed operational staff.

“As a pedigree to our proposal, we have community based organisations (CBOs) that are already managing community projects. For example, there is the Egbema-Gbaramatu Central Development Council (EGCDC) which is funded by Chevron Nigeria Limited as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility Objectives.”

The group also noted that the 13 per cent derivation fund was not part of the states’ consolidated revenues, a position which they argued had been highlighted by the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Elias Mbam.