The oil producing communities in Ughievwen and Udu Kingdoms, both in Ughelli South and Udu council areas of Delta state, have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct that 13% Derivation Fund is henceforth paid directly to host communities.
The communities, in a letter addressed to the President and made available to newsmen in Abuja Thursday, said the call became necessary in view of the need to stop state governors of oil producing state from further short-changing people in the areas where oil and gas production activities are actually taking place.
The letter signed by 15 representatives, among whom were Chief Adelabu Bojor, Chief Morris Ideh, Sir Richard Odibo and Chief John Olomu, representing Ekakpamre, Jeremi and Udu Kingdom respectively, reminded President Buhari that the payment of the fund had been prescribed by the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as a first line charge payment from the Federation Account.
“Ughievwen in Ughelli South local government/Udu local government area are both communities of the popular Utorogu Gas Plant and Flow State, operated under Jeremi, Ighwrekan, Edjophe, Ekakpamre, Otor-Edo, Ughevwughe, Obiyagha, Eyara, Imode, Oginibu, Ohwawha Okwagbe, Egbo, Emadadja, Ukpiovewin, Oghior, Ogbe-Udu, Ubogo and many other towns in the cluster.
“These communities, since the advent of the 13% Derivation Fund, still lack meaningful and commensurate development to show for the stupendous wealth they contribute to the national coffers.
“Since the states are not willing to do the needful, the Ughelli South (Ughievwen)/Udu Kingdom, in line with the demand of the HOSTCON, hereby assert that the President should address the injustice once and for all, by paying the 13% Derivation Fund directly to the oil producing communities so that we can initiate our own projects that will fast-track our development efforts, which have eluded us for too long.
“Mr President sir, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended,in Section 162, sub-section 2, specified that the 13% Derivation Fund is a first line charge from the Federation Account. As a matter of fact, it is a disservice to the people and unconstitutional for the vulnerable oil producing communities to be left at the mercy of the charlatan states executives of the Niger Delta region”, the letter said.
