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Senator Wants RMAFC To Declare Enugu State, An Oil-Producing State
The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has been alerted to declare Enugu State as an oil-producing state.
A lawmaker representing Enugu North Senatorial district, Chukuwka Utazi made this call on Tuesday
He spoke through Order 43 at the backdrop of the declaration of Kogi and Anambra as oil-producing states last week, lamenting Oil blocs 915 and 916 are not being controlled by Kogi and Anambra states, Enugu too, hence, the status should be accorded to Enugu till such a time that the matter would be laid to rest.
Utazi recalled that senators from the affected oil and gas basin, have consistently pursued the matter from the 8th National Assembly up to the 9th Assembly, wondering the justification of recognising Kogi and Anambra without Enugu State.
He said: “Those conversant with the 8th Assembly legislative issue will recall that the issue of oil and gas deposits between Enugu, Kogi and Anambra States have been a recurrent issue in this hallowed chambers over the years.
“All Senators that have been representing that Senatorial districts especially the Igala speaking communities that have boundary with Enugu and Anambra States, we have been discussing this issue throughout the 8th Assembly.”
The Enugu lawmaker noted that the Department of Petroleum Resources once briefed the Senate Committee on the development at their prompting, while he expressed shock that Enugu State wasn’t captured by RMAFC.
“Following the frequency of our discussion, this Assembly asked the Department of Petroleum Resources to look into this issue to find out and settle this issue permanently within these three states so that they can enjoy the 13% derivation that we are entitled to because we have deposits of hydrocarbon in our area.
“So the Committee that was set up by the Petroleum upstream invited the Department of Petroleum came and we discussed with them extensively.
“They gave us a condition that any state that wants to become an oil-producing State to fulfill.
“I want to say that Anambra State has an Orient Oil Producing Company that has been there trying to extract crude oil in that basin.
“After our meeting, the Department of Petroleum Resources wrote to the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) on 24th July 2018 and we raise an issue here that the Orient Petroleum that is operating between Kogi, Anambra and Enugu has not fulfilled certain conditions and which was mentioned here clearly.
“In view of the foregoing, the Orient Petroleum Company has no status of an oil-producing company, hence, Anambra, Kogi and Enugu cannot be classified as an oil-producing state for now.
“Am happy that we are inching towards the solution of this matter which in the 8th Assembly, a motion was jointly sponsored here by the entire Senators from that zone to wit: Senator Isaac Alfa, Kogi East Senatorial district, Senator Chukwuma Utazi, Enugu North Senatorial district and Senator Stella Adaeze Oduah Anambra North.
“We all agreed that since the National Boundary Commission was not able to solve this problem, the three affected States should in the interim enjoy the 13 % derivation till when the problem would be solved.
“My problem now is that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has gone ahead to recognize Kogi, and Anambra. What is left now is Anambra State. Because from the letter they have written, OPL 915 and 916 are in our area.
“I want to put on record here that since the RMAFC has accorded recognition to our neighbours, Kogi and Anambra, they should extend same to Enugu State, so that there will be peace.”
The Enugu State government has inaugurated a steering committee to eliminate Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the state, declaring zero tolerance for the social malaise.
The inauguration took place at the Government House Enugu.
The panel, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, draws its membership from the Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education as well as the Civil Society.
Inaugurating the panel known as the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to not bringing perpetrators of GBV to book, but also putting in place proactive measures – activities, infrastructure, and systems in place to prevent them.
Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “We take gender-based violence seriously. We have zero tolerance for it, and in Enugu State, we are ready to go the extra mile to deal with it.
“If you notice, the government has selected people that are very committed to this goal. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list. We will track this. We will monitor this, and we will have quarterly engagements on the successes that this particular committee has achieved in terms of reference that we are going to send.
“We will tighten those terms of reference indicators, so that we monitor what we are doing both in terms of cost input and the value added. It’s very important to us. Many people will be involved – civil society, the police and various ministries.”
He however, said that the effort was to protect everyone, men and women alike, as GBV was not restricted to any gender.
“The whole idea is to hold people responsible that are involved in matters relating to gender violence and deter people that by culture or by association get involved in that, protect women, protect our children, and in the case of violence against men, protect our men because most times we misconstrue gender violence to mean women, but it can also be men too.
“We encourage our men to speak out and to make sure they understand that the policy that Enugu State is soon going to domesticate is for everyone, and not only for the female gender,” he stated.
In her remark, Mrs. Enih, explained that the Oputa Panel approach was inspired by the need to cover all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV, restarting government’s confidence in the members of the panel.
“The approach we are going to use is the Oputa Panel approach, and in the Oputa Panel approach, we are going to tour the 17 Local Government Areas to get firsthand information about what our people are going through because policy is meant for the people, and a policy should suit the people.
“Again, every community has its peculiar problems, so that’s why the government decided that if we have to domesticate the gender policy, we have to hear from the people who own the policy and know the changes that they desire to see. That is the reason we are using this approach.
“The committee members are to also serve as judges. As we gather this information from our people, we will come back to tailor it in a way to suit the people of Enugu State, and then our policy is ready.
“We want the people to know that there is a gender policy for them. I can assure you that when the people are aware that there is such a policy, they will seek for the enforcement of that policy. So, this is not going to be one of those policies that will just lie on the shelf,” she said.
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
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