The House of Representatives has adopted a resolution calling on the federal government to declare Kogi, Enugu and Anambra as oil producing states.
The resolution was adopted on Thursday, March 9, following of a motion jointly moved by Emmanuel Egwu, Tony Nwoye and Patrick Asadu from the three states respectively.
According to Premium times, Egwu who spoke on the behalf of the three states said the government was aware that oil and gas deposits have been found in commercial quantities in Anambra Basin.
He said: “We are aware that the failure to optimally explore this already established huge deposits in the Anambra Basin which would generate social and economic activities in the Basin has caused disaffection and crisis across those bordering States and occasionally led to bloodshed amongst citizens in the border corridors, where this oil is in high commercial quantity.
“Between 1952 and 1986, three companies, namely; Shell BP (now Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Elf (now Total Fina Elf) and Agip Energy had dug 25 exploration wells in this Basin but abandoned them due to the Government policy then that these deposits are to be for strategic reserve.”
Egwu said the lawmakers believe that the declaration of these states as oil producing states will not in any way jeopardise the on-going field tracing and provisional boundary demarcation being carried out by National Boundary Commission among Anambra, Enugu and Kogi States, but will rather aid in determining the percentage of derivation accruable to the three states.
The call by the House is coming barely four months after the Kogi State House of Assembly urged the Federal Government to accord Kogi the status of an oil producing state.
Credit: PremiumTimes
