The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has given an assurance that steps are being taken to ensure that every oil and gas-producing state receives its rightful share of resources, to reduce tensions and safeguard the integrity of the Federation Account.
Chairman of the Commission, Dr Mohammed Shehu, stated this in Asaba when he led his team and members of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee on the verification of disputed and newly drilled crude oil and gas fields and wells in the Niger Delta region.
Dr Shehu, who announced the inauguration of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee in collaboration with Sister Agencies, reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to accurately identifying the locations of crude oil and gas wells.
He said the membership of the technical committee comprises the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Representatives of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Representatives of the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, and Representatives of the Office of the National Boundary Commission.
Dr Shehu hinted that the initiative was driven by formal concerns expressed by the governors of some states, including Anambra, Imo, and Delta, regarding the rightful ownership and territory boundaries of specific crude oil and gas assets.
While highlighting the oil and gas assets to include the Aneize oil field within OML 143, as well as the Eyine and Ameshi fields, Dr Shehu said the Inter-Agency Technical Committee would address the matters by thoroughly examining the identified locations and verifying the coordinates of newly drilled oil and gas wells within the area, spanning from 2017 to date.
According to the Chairman of RMAFC, the Inter-Agency Technical Committee would extend its activities to Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Ondo, and Edo States, where it would rigorously assess and respond to the various complaints and petitions submitted by the states.
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He revealed that the exercise would rely on geospatial data provided by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, which he said would be carefully validated and plotted , while the surveyor-generals of the affected states will observe the process.
Dr Shehu noted the Inter-Agency Technical Committee was tasked with plotting the coordinates of newly identified crude oil and gas fields and wells across recognised oil-rich regions.
”This decision reflects our unwavering commitment to supporting the commission in obtaining precise location data for these assets, ensuring that the 13 % derivation fund is equitably disbursed to the rightful beneficiary states among the oil-producing areas”
”The decision to map and verify the coordinates of crude oil and gas wells represents a strategic and proactive measure aimed at resolving long-standing disputes among the affected states. This initiative is essential to ensure that every oil and gas-producing state receives its rightful share of resources, thereby reducing tensions and safeguarding the integrity of the Federation Account”
”By promoting transparency and fairness, we are laying the groundwork for a more stable and conducive environment for continued exploration and development across the region”
Dr Shehu said Paragraph 32 (a) Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) empowers the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC), amongst other functions, to monitor accruals into and disbursements of revenue from the Federation Account.
