Oil Producing Status Of Anambra, Kogi States: Senators Trade Words

The Senate on Thursday mandated its committee on Petroleum
(Upstream) to investigate the contention over the oil producing
status of Kogi and Anambra states.

The resolution came after three senators from Kogi, Anambra and
Enugu states traded of words on the issue.

First was Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu) who told his colleagues that an
appointee of Anambra State, Mike Emuh, announced in a national
daily that the state is an oil-producing state.

In a report by Vanguard newspaper, Mr Emuh, the National
Chairman of Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas, HOSCON, told
traditional rulers in the state that the federal government has
approved 10 modular refineries in the 11 oil producing states in
the country, one of which refineries would be cited in Anambra.

Mr Emuh further said the federal government also approved the
employment of 10,000 youth from oil producing states, of which
1,000 are to be employed in Anambra State.

He added that he was in the state to ask the traditional rulers
to nominate a particular place the modular refinery would be cited
in the state and to prepare for the selection of the youth to be
employed.

Mr Utazi condemned the announcement, saying the status of
Anambra as oil producing state is still being looked into.

“On the 9th of April, 2018, the Vanguard newspaper among other
things said that federal government confirms Anambra State’s status
as oil producing state and it was copiously reported. I want to
take the senate on a history lane.

“The government of President Jonathan Goodluck on 30th of August
2012 recognized erroneously Anambra as an oil producing state. As a
result of that, it sparked a lot of violent protests in Kogi and
Enugu states who were part owners of this oil, OPL 915, 916 and
917.

“As a result of the violent protests in these states, the
government of Jonathan, as it then was called for a meeting on the
31st of October 2012 to resolve this issue and invited into the
Villa, the (then) governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi; (then
Governor Idris) Wada of Kogi and the deputy of Governor of Enugu
State then for a meeting.

“After looking at the issue that concerns these ownership on
this oil filed, they decided to withdraw the declaration already
made and ordered the National Boundary Commission to wade into this
issue and find out actually who owns what, and since then the NBC
has been handling this matter.

“It is on record that I brought a motion to this effect when we
were handling this issue but because of the nature of that motion,
Mr. President decided to stand down that motion I brought and said
we should allow the National Boundary Commission to look into that
issue and come up with a final resolutions that the matter would be
settled amicably.”

He prayed the Senate to look into the matter and caution the
state appointee from making such announcement.

“Who owns OPL 915, 916 and 917? It is contentious. The Igala
speaking people in Uzuwani are laying claims, Enchenwa of Abaji
local government area of Kogi are laying claims, Anambra East Local
Government are laying claims,” he concluded.

Reacting, a senator from Anambra State, Andy Uba, said Mr
Utazi’s submission was a lie, claiming his state has attained the
status of oil-producing state.

He said, “If you recall in 2013, those that were here in the 7th
Senate, I moved the motion for Anambra to be included in the oil
producing state and then the issue was that every state that wants
to be included must produce 120,000 barrels of oil before they
would be included and Anambra has attained that. So what my
colleague is saying is not true. He is lying. He is just saying his
own view.”

Defending his state, Dino Melaye from Kogi said the two other
senators were lying as the contentious oil well belongs to
Kogi.

“So that we don’t live with an impression that is wrong. You had
earlier ruled that the chairman upstream look into the issue of the
conflict as regards the oil discovery but I want to say that as a
senator representing Kogi, that our electric brother and friend,
Senator Utazi is totally wrong and my soft-spoken senator from
Anambra State is totally wrong. The oil is from Ibaji Local
Government in Kogi State. It is only owned by Kogi State and I want
the chairman upstream to investigate it.”

The senate referred the matter to its committee on Petroleum
(Upstream).

The Senate on Thursday mandated its committee on Petroleum
(Upstream) to investigate the contention over the oil producing
status of Kogi and Anambra states.

The resolution came after three senators from Kogi, Anambra and
Enugu states traded of words on the issue.

First was Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu) who told his colleagues that an
appointee of Anambra State, Mike Emuh, announced in a national
daily that the state is an oil-producing state.

In a report by Vanguard newspaper, Mr Emuh, the National
Chairman of Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas, HOSCON, told
traditional rulers in the state that the federal government has
approved 10 modular refineries in the 11 oil producing states in
the country, one of which refineries would be cited in Anambra.

Mr Emuh further said the federal government also approved the
employment of 10,000 youth from oil producing states, of which
1,000 are to be employed in Anambra State.

He added that he was in the state to ask the traditional rulers
to nominate a particular place the modular refinery would be cited
in the state and to prepare for the selection of the youth to be
employed.

Mr Utazi condemned the announcement, saying the status of
Anambra as oil producing state is still being looked into.

“On the 9th of April, 2018, the Vanguard newspaper among other
things said that federal government confirms Anambra State’s status
as oil producing state and it was copiously reported. I want to
take the senate on a history lane.

“The government of President Jonathan Goodluck on 30th of August
2012 recognized erroneously Anambra as an oil producing state. As a
result of that, it sparked a lot of violent protests in Kogi and
Enugu states who were part owners of this oil, OPL 915, 916 and
917.

“As a result of the violent protests in these states, the
government of Jonathan, as it then was called for a meeting on the
31st of October 2012 to resolve this issue and invited into the
Villa, the (then) governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi; (then
Governor Idris) Wada of Kogi and the deputy of Governor of Enugu
State then for a meeting.

“After looking at the issue that concerns these ownership on
this oil filed, they decided to withdraw the declaration already
made and ordered the National Boundary Commission to wade into this
issue and find out actually who owns what, and since then the NBC
has been handling this matter.

“It is on record that I brought a motion to this effect when we
were handling this issue but because of the nature of that motion,
Mr. President decided to stand down that motion I brought and said
we should allow the National Boundary Commission to look into that
issue and come up with a final resolutions that the matter would be
settled amicably.”

He prayed the Senate to look into the matter and caution the
state appointee from making such announcement.

“Who owns OPL 915, 916 and 917? It is contentious. The Igala
speaking people in Uzuwani are laying claims, Enchenwa of Abaji
local government area of Kogi are laying claims, Anambra East Local
Government are laying claims,” he concluded.

Reacting, a senator from Anambra State, Andy Uba, said Mr
Utazi’s submission was a lie, claiming his state has attained the
status of oil-producing state.

He said, “If you recall in 2013, those that were here in the 7th
Senate, I moved the motion for Anambra to be included in the oil
producing state and then the issue was that every state that wants
to be included must produce 120,000 barrels of oil before they
would be included and Anambra has attained that. So what my
colleague is saying is not true. He is lying. He is just saying his
own view.”

Defending his state, Dino Melaye from Kogi said the two other
senators were lying as the contentious oil well belongs to
Kogi.

“So that we don’t live with an impression that is wrong. You had
earlier ruled that the chairman upstream look into the issue of the
conflict as regards the oil discovery but I want to say that as a
senator representing Kogi, that our electric brother and friend,
Senator Utazi is totally wrong and my soft-spoken senator from
Anambra State is totally wrong. The oil is from Ibaji Local
Government in Kogi State. It is only owned by Kogi State and I want
the chairman upstream to investigate it.”

The senate referred the matter to its committee on Petroleum
(Upstream).